Research Items

Abstract

A TAHITIAN BREAST ORNAMENT FROM ALASKA,— Dr. H. U. Hall discusses in the issue of the Museum Journal dated September last, the provenance of an object of exceptional interest recently acquired by the University Museum, Philadelphia. Although it was collected in an Indian village on Admiralty Island, Alaska, it is beyond question a feather breast orna ment from Tahiti. Only seven of these are known to be in existence, three being in the British Museum. That they belonged to the highest chiefs is clear, since their adornments include red feathers, sacred to Oro the war god, which could be worn only by persons of this class. They are described by Cook under date September 8, 1777, and possibly, under missionary influence, had ceased to be used-so early as 1825, or at any rate not much later. It is therefore improbable that this specimen was carried north by one of the whalers, who did not begin their voyages to the Arctic through Bering Strait until the late 'forties. It would seem most probable that it was taken to Alaska either by Cook or Vancouver, the probabilities favour ing the latter. Among the Chilkat it was a clan object and regarded as very precious. It was known as ‘raven cape.’ The late owner said that the old leaders of her house had boasted of it as a possession which was uncommon. It was regarded as the work of the people of another world. Fragmentary tradi tions of its origin connect it with the coming of the white man, and refer it to a strange party who made a visit to the land “in company with the first man of the sun.”