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Oceanian
Ceremonial Artifacts ➔ Bone Coffin
Identifier:
196656Description:
Thick bark cylinder with various abstract designs painted in white, yellow, red, tan, and black. A yellow tortoise appears on one side of the coffin. The interior is stuffed with natural fibers and paper-like material.The object is a small bone coffin, which was used by aboriginal peoples of Arnhem Land, located in northern Australia, to memorialize their dead. One tradition of aboriginal people of Arnhem Land is that of the Bone Coffin or Hollow Log ritual. After a person dies, the body is sung over, decorated, and buried. Some time later, a second burial takes place, whereby the body is exhumed, the bones painted red, and placed in a hollow log painted with clan markings, etceteras. After a series of songs and dances, the log is then left to the elements. The ceremony represents the transition of the soul from this life to the afterlife.
This bone coffin was created by the Yirrkala indiginous community. This community is well known within Australia because of the art which they produce and for the role they played in developping a relationship between the indiginous and non-indiginous Australian populations.
See Art of the First Australians, p. 77. #117.
Date:
1980Materials:
Bark, Natural Fiber, OchreDimensions:
27" h 4.1" w 4.1" dCurrent Location Status:
In StorageCollection Tier:
Tier 2Source:
Gift Of The Australian PeopleLinks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YirrkalaExhibit/Program:
Mysterious Voyages (February – May 2002)Related Entities:
Artist Of Yirrkala (creator) The Australian People (donor) Carol S. Ivory (identified by)Associate Professor, Dept. of Fine Arts, Washington State University
Related Places:
Northern TerritoryArnhem's Land
Australia