Feather gorget (taumi)

18th century

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Crescent-shaped breastplates known astaumi were made from materials that embodied the status (mana) and prestige of the warrior-priests and chiefs who wore them. This example’s intricate construction of concentric bands of iridescent feathers, perfectly graded shark teeth, and a thick fringe of white dog hair is testament to the authority of the elite class that commissioned it. The breastplates were worn in pairs so that the wearer’s head would appear to rise out of the jaws of a shark—a creature whose fearsome qualities were emulated by chiefs.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Feather gorget (taumi)
Date: 18th century
Geography: Tahiti, Society Islands
Medium: Feathers (various, including Pacific black duck and lorikeet [vini kura]), dog hair, shark teeth, cane, fiber (various)
Dimensions: H. 26 × W. 23 × D. 1 in. (66 × 58.4 × 2.5 cm)
Classification: Feathers-Ornaments
Credit Line: Private collection, Gordon Sze
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing