Necklace Currency (Kina)
ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-neck ornaments
Date20th Century
Made AtSouthern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
MediumMother-of-pearl shell and fiber
Dimensions9 1/2 × 7 1/4 × 7/8 in. (24.1 × 18.4 × 2.2 cm)
Credit LineGift of the Jordan Community Trust
Object number98.18.16
DescriptionThis shell necklace, the vernacular name for which is kina, comes from the Mt. Hagen area in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Necklaces play a crucial role of decoration in New Guinea for both men and women especially because status is determined by how much material wealth you show on your body including all forms of jewelry, male ornamentation of war, feathers, and shells. Necklaces can be made up of cowrie shells or mother-of-pearl, boar's teeth or tusks, dog teeth, and even human teeth.On View
On viewCollections
early to mid 20th Century
early to mid 20th Century
early to mid 20th Century
early to mid 20th Century
early to mid 20th Century
mid 20th Century
mid 20th Century
19th Century
mid 19th to early 20th Century
mid 19th to early 20th Century
mid 19th - early 20th Century
early to mid 20th Century