Ceremonial Knife

early to mid-20th century

Not on view

Glass was introduced to the Australian continent by European traders and colonial settlers. Aboriginal communities quickly recognized that the material could be knapped in similar ways to the obsidian and quartzite stones they had used to manufacture blades for millennia. This knife from central Australia features a glass blade set on a painted wooden handle. The top and bottom of the handle are coated in a dark resin taken from the gum coating found on spinifex grasses. The gum is thrashed from the grass and melted to form a sticky tar that the maker shapes around the blade. When it cools, the resin sets strong and hard, creating a protective handle.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Title: Ceremonial Knife
Date: early to mid-20th century
Geography: Australia, Northern Territory
Culture: Aranta (?)
Medium: Wood, spinifex resin, glass, paint
Dimensions: H. 7 x W. 1 1/4 x D. 1 in. (17.8 x 3.2 x 2.5 cm)
Classification: Wood-Implements
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Anonymous Gift, 1961
Object Number: 1978.412.766
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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