Fish Hook
ClassificationsTools and Equipment-fishing equipment
Date20th Century
Made AtManus Province, Papua New Guinea
MediumShell
Dimensions1 3/4 × 7/8 × 3/16 in. (4.4 × 2.2 × 0.5 cm)
Credit LineAnonymous Gift
Object number2021.7.40
DescriptionThis object is a curved shell fish hook from Wuvulu Island. Island Oceania is divided into Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, but trade and migration have created a great deal of commonality among these cultural and geographic subregions. Despite being only 100 miles away from the coast of New Guinea, the center of Melanesian culture, most individuals on the island of Wuvulu are of Micronesian descent. Some of the earliest theories about the island’s connection to Micronesia were surmised from the use of similar shark tooth weapons to those used in the Gilbert Islands. To this day the unique functional and decorative objects produced on Wuvulu show influences from both Melanesia and Micronesia.On View
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