Artefacts

Artefact type: String bag
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Kay'wo or string bag - the string is made from the soft inner fibre of the bark of a species of eucalyptus tree. It is chewed, salted, dyed and then hand spun into the string. The dye is from tree roots and wild bulbs. Northern Territory, Australia

Artefact type: Wooden Bowl
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Story: Western Desert, Australia. Primarily used for carrying water, foodstuffs, and on occasions newborn babies.

Artefact type: Pretend fish spear
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Two-pronged spearhead joined to spear. Ochre on wood, Northern Territory

Artefact type: Clubs
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Various types of clubs from the Western Desert, Murchison area. Some are carved and some are fluted

Artefact type: Bark Painting
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Marawili clan painting. Yirritja moiety, North Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. This is a story about two brothers who went dugong hunting in a canoe with harpoons

Artefact type: Digging Bowl
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Mulga wood, rasped outside. The smaller dish is used for scooping earth or water.

Artefact type: Hair Belt
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Namba Spun from human hair by men and women using a disposable wooden spindle. The spindle is rolled up and down the thigh to produce a spinning motion that twines the hair, which has been mixed with fat to bind it and maintain suppleness.

Artefact type: Feather Shoes
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Kurdaidja commonly called Tjina = foot, kapi = feather. Traditionally worn by men on revenge expeditions to conceal footprints.

Artefact type: Bark Shoes
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Enable the wearer to walk comfortably on hot sand and rock. They wear rapidly and require regular replacement. Only a few desert groups wore them.

Artefact type: Bark Painting
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: North Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. Flaking badly, very faded. Kangaroo, x-ray style painted by Yuwunguwun Madduwarr of Liverpool river.

Artefact type: Spear
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Four piece spear, bound together with kangaroo sinew. Western Desert, Australia.

Artefact type: Fish spear
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Northern Coast, Australia. Steel paints and binding. Mik wood

Artefact type: Barbed spear
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert Australia.

Artefact type: Spear
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Three piece spear, Western Desert, Australia

Artefact type: Feather Head Ring
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Manguri. Worn by women whilst carrying wooden dishes on their head for balance and more comfortable load distribution.

Artefact type: Feather Head Ring
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Manguri. Worn by women whilst carrying wooden dishes on their head for balance and more comfortable load distribution.

Artefact type: Pukumani Pole
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Pukamani Totem pole. Bathurst Island, Tiwi

Artefact type: Pukumani Pole
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Pukamani Totem pole. Bathurst Island, Tiwi. Female figure, Ironwood carved by Paddy Teeampi . "Pukumani" is the term associated with mortuary ceremonies and the erection of carved and decorated poles. Upon completion of the ceremonies the poles are left to the elements to decay and disintegrate

Artefact type: Pukumani Pole
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Pukamani Totem pole. Bathurst Island, Tiwi. Male figure, Ironwood carved by Paddy Teeampi . "Pukumani" is the term associated with mortuary ceremonies and the erection of carved and decorated poles. Upon completion of the ceremonies the poles are left to the elements to decay and disintegrate.

Artefact type: Carry Basket
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Bark container, Kalumburu, Northern Kimberley. This item is decorated from spattered ochre. The carrying handle is made from twine spun from plant fibre.

Artefact type: Water Bucket
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Kimberley Region, W.A. Sealed with honey wax and decorated with spattered ochre.

Artefact type: Shield
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Desert type shield, Murchison style, incised

Artefact type: Feather bundle
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Emu feathers, desert type, traditionally to keep stone points in, bound with European wool and string.

Artefact type: Pubic covering
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Male pubic covering, Western Desert, Australia. Made from human hair, worn tucked into the hair belt.

Artefact type: Pubic Covering
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Male pubic covering, Western Desert, Australia. Made from human hair, worn tucked into the hair belt, bound with European wool.

Artefact type: Nose pegs
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Set of three emu bone nose pegs, Western Desert style. Undecorated ends plugged with spinifex resin.

Artefact type: Hair belt
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Southern Kimberley/Northern Western Desert, Australia. Namba. Decorated with ochre and interwoven feather down, this belt is similar to those used during ritual and ceremonial occasions.

Artefact type: Fire making sticks
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Fire drill. The drill is rotated rapidly against the receptor, into which the powered grass and kangaroo dung has been placed. A small coal is produced and then used to ignite a bundle of dry grass or bark

Artefact type: Grass skirt
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Maningrida, Arnhem Land, Norhern Territory by Gunungulng of Guna. Also called a djingabardabai. Made from pandanus palms and covered with natural vegetable dyes.

Artefact type: Carrying dish
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Primarily used for carrying water, foodstuffs, and on occasions newborn babies.

Artefact type: Mourning ring
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Bathhurst Island, Tiwi. White parrot feathers embedded I bees wax in traditional style. Feathers hanging down sides. Topalingu, reputedly headdress

Artefact type: Two arm bands
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Bathurst Island, Tiwi. Pamajini, made of woven pandanus palm rings, parrot feathers, bush string, bee's wax.

Artefact type: Spear thrower
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Kalumburu, W.A. Tourist item with fake peg, undecorated but ochred

Artefact type: Spear throwers
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Western Desert, Australia. Robinson Collection. Possibly Wiluna. Good example, incised with carpet snake pattern.

Artefact type: Spears
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Kimberley, Kalumburu, W.A. Two-piece bamboo and mangrove root. Glass Kimberley paints hafted in resin, one broken (green glass tip), one missing tip.

Artefact type: Stone tools
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Set of five stone tools, four ground

Artefact type: Man the Toolmaker Set
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Set of six stones from overseas. Reference card code: 0780. Explanation booklet enclosed in box.

Artefact type: Ochre and grinding
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Grindstones are flat-surfaced stone blocks with a shallow oval or circular depression ground in one or both faces, used for the pounding, crushing or grinding of hard material such as seeds, fruits, other plant material or ochre.

Artefact type: Shield
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Unclassified shield, incised.

Artefact type: Small club
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Unclassified short club, engraved both ends

Artefact type: Large Club
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Unclassified long club, engraved both ends

Artefact type: Spear thrower
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Unclassified flat woomera, broken tip.

Artefact type: Spear thrower
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Unclassified curved woomera, broken tip

Artefact type: Didgeridoo
Location: Centre's Storage
Story: Unclassified, ochre colors used