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Time Marker

late 19th century
Not on view
Lime spatulas, commonly found at the eastern tip of Papua New Guinea, occur in 2 types: with sculpted figural handle, and with split handle decorated with incising. The second type, shown here, is held by the blade and struck against the hand or leg to mark song and dance rhythms. Highly prized by their owners, these spatulas range from 6 inches to 2 feet long and are also used to stir and intoxicating mixture of lime and betel nut, which is chewed like tobacco.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Time Marker
  • Date: late 19th century
  • Geography: Papua New Guinea
  • Culture: Papua New Guinean
  • Medium: Wood, lime
  • Dimensions: L. 33 5/8 × W. 2 in. (85.4 × 5.1 cm)
  • Classification: Idiophone-Concussion
  • Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
  • Object Number: 89.4.767
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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Bullroarer (Imunu Viki?), wood, lime, Papua New Guinean
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Apa, wood, lizard skin, Melanesian (Huon Gulf?, Papua New Guinean)
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Melanesian (Huon Gulf?, Papua New Guinean)
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Lime pot, Bamboo, Papuan
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