Mourning Cape
Object Details
- Notes
- Collector's notes, written on tag attached to object: Pyuma tribe, Taitung Hsien, Shabakan village, Taiwan (SE Formosa). Mourning cape. This garment is worn over the shoulders during the customary period of mourning following a death in the family. A large and handsome cape, consisting of unraveled Chinese wool yarns (not re-spun into smaller threads as in earlier times.) Embroidered into bold 100 pacer snakeskin designs overall (Trigonocephalus, Agkistrodon acutus-a large and dangerous pit viper common to southern Formosa). Capes like this are rather scarce now [1964] and command a high price on the Japanese market. The figure commonly asked in Taipei as of 1964/5 is often around $100 U.S. The red, yellow, and green Chinese trade wool trin is rather typical of the Pyuma taste…guessed to be ca. late 19th century.
- Record Last Modified
- 1 Dec 2014
- Specimen Count
- 1
- Culture
- Paiwan
- Puyuma
- Data Source
- NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
- Accession Date
- 18 Oct 1968
- Accession Number
- 281393
- USNM Number
- E410255-0
- Donor Name
- Mr. Province M. Henry
- Object Type
- Cape
- Place
- Taiwan, China, Asia
- See more items in
- Anthropology
- Topic
- Ethnology
- Record ID
- nmnhanthropology_8440625
