Necklace

ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-neck ornaments

Date20th Century

Made AtSouthern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea

MediumKina shell, cowrie shell, plant fiber, pigment, and cuscus fur

Dimensions19 7/8 × 9 3/16 × 1 3/8 in. (50.5 × 23.3 × 3.5 cm)

Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Object number2006.11.37

DescriptionShell necklaces are highly prized throughout Papua New Guinea where their name, kina, has been adopted as that of the national currency. The process of creating such a pendant is quite time consuming and involves various tools. The small holes that adorn some of these shells were made with a drill. The same large shells used in kina necklaces are also used in currency plaques.

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