Fan (Tahi'i)

Unknown

19th century · Wood, bone, fiber · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Fans in the Marquesas were carried by prominent individuals of both sexes as marks of social status. Displayed at feasts and other events, their visual impact was enhanced by the elegant manner in which they were carried, especially by women. Made from narrow strips of plant fiber, the blades were woven around dagger-like wood handles (ke'e), sometimes sheathed in a sleeve of bone.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

Wood, bone, fiber

Culture

Marquesan (Enata) people

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979