Flint Pouch (Mechag), 19th to 20th Century
Tibet Autonomous Region
Leather, gilt silver alloy…

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Flint Pouch (Mechag)

ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-bags, pouches, and purses

Date19th to 20th Century

Made AtTibet Autonomous Region, China, Asia

MediumLeather, gilt silver alloy, turquoise and steel

DimensionsPouch: 2 3/4 × 5 × 1 3/4 in. (7 × 12.7 × 4.4 cm)
Strap: 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)

Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Object number2021.8.71

DescriptionThis object is a flint pouch, also referred to as a fire starting kit, called chuckmuck in India or mechag in Tibet. They are found all throughout Central Asia. The consistent need to start fires, presented by a nomadic lifestyle, means that these kits are both pieces of daily wear and adornment. The pouch would contain small pieces of tinder and flint and the base of the pouch is made of steel, providing all the necessary components to quickly start a fire. The designs themselves are purely decorative, and often feature dragons and other zoomorphic or geometric motifs. In the 19th and 20th century these objects came to be widely collected by Europeans as “fire-starting” became a popular in world expositions.

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