Whale tooth necklace (waseisei)
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.Whales were understood throughout Polynesia to be manifestations of the ocean god Tangaloa (Tahiti: Ta’aroa; Hawai’i: Kanaloa). Whalebone and ivory were therefore considered sacred relics into which the god’s divine essence was fused. Expertly fashioned into elaborate breastplates and pendants or split lengthwise to form spectacular necklaces, this rare and valuable material visually reinforced the chiefs’ descent from the gods and legitimated their rule.
Artwork Details
- Title: Whale tooth necklace (waseisei)
- Date: 19th century
- Geography: Fiji
- Medium: Whale ivory, coconut fiber
- Dimensions: W. 12 in. × L. 11 5/8 in. × 11 in. (30.5 × 29.5 × 28 cm)
- Classifications: Bone/Ivory-Ornaments, Jewelry
- Credit Line: Private collection, Mark Blackburn, Honolulu, Hawai'i
- Rights and Reproduction: Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing