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String Bag, unknown date
Papua New Guinea, Melanesia
Fiber and twine; 16 1/2 × 14 3/4 × 1 in.…
Bag
String Bag, unknown date
Papua New Guinea, Melanesia
Fiber and twine; 16 1/2 × 14 3/4 × 1 in.…
String Bag, unknown date Papua New Guinea, Melanesia Fiber and twine; 16 1/2 × 14 3/4 × 1 in. 2014.29.3 From the Collection of Dr. J. Linsley Gressitt

Bag

ClassificationsTools and Equipment-bags and pouches
Datemid 20th Century
Made AtPapua New Guinea
MediumFiber and twine
Dimensions16 1/2 × 14 3/4 × 1 in. (41.9 × 37.5 × 2.5 cm)
Credit LineFrom the Collection of Dr. J. Linsley Gressitt
Object number2014.29.3
DescriptionString bags are commonly found and used by the peoples of Papua New Guinea. The most well-known bags, the bilum, are noted for their loop construction technique among other characteristics. This bag appears to have been constructed using a knotting technique, which is never used to created bilum bags within the hinterlands and mountainous regions of Papua New Guinea. Bilum bags and the lopping technique used to fashion them have been traded and exchanged throughout Papua New Guinea; however various regions have added their own specific characteristics to the bags. Bilum are not prominently used among Austronesian language speakers. These people mostly reside in areas along the north coast, the Madang coast or in the Massim area. It has been suggested that the people of these areas are quite familiar with what is known as the knotted looping technique. While no examples of this technique could be located, it would appear that this piece was constructed using such a technique. The knotted looping technique is used especially for hunting or fishing nets. While this example appears to be a bag and not a net, it has been recorded that damaged or old bilum bags were sometimes repurposed as nets. As such, it is entirely possible that this bag was once a net and at some point was later converted into a bag.
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