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Flint Pouch (Mechag), 19th to 20th Century
Tibet Autonomous Region
Leather, brass, silver and…
Flint Pouch (Mechag)
Flint Pouch (Mechag), 19th to 20th Century
Tibet Autonomous Region
Leather, brass, silver and…
Flint Pouch (Mechag), 19th to 20th Century Tibet Autonomous Region Leather, brass, silver and steel; 3 × 6 7/8 × 5/8 in. 2021.8.73 Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Flint Pouch (Mechag)

ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-bags, pouches, and purses
Date19th to 20th Century
Made AtTibet Autonomous Region, China, Asia
MediumLeather, brass, silver and steel
DimensionsPouch: 3 × 6 7/8 × 5/8 in. (7.6 × 17.5 × 1.6 cm)
Strap: 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)
Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih
Object number2021.8.73
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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