Peoples throughout the world have devised complex and useful visual systems for recording and transmitting their traditions and beliefs. Each of the objects in this group played a part in activating memory or cosmology for critically important social situations and for ensuring cultural continuity. Among the Maya, for example, hieroglyphic writing was merged with visual imagery to communicate important dynastic information. In other cultures, systems of graphic inscription were developed for many purposes, including the transmission of calendrical and cosmological knowledge for divination or forecasting events. Additionally, motifs on many works of art serve to recall stories for retelling in the present through oral narratives and performances that keep traditions alive.
Object Name: The Forbidden Tree of Lawe’s Parotia, Ömie Mountains, and Beaks of Blyth’s hornbill (Mairi’e jeje ‘oho’ darohu’e, buboriano’e)
Artist: Ivy-Rose Sirimi (b. 1974)
Culture: Ömie peoples
Place of Origin: Duharenu Village, Oro Province, Papua New Guinea
Date/Era: 2009
Dimensions: 153 x 77 cm
Medium/Materials: Bark fiber, natural pigment
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Purchased by the Fowler Textile Council.
Accession Number: X2011.11.1
Ceremonial house painting
Wom, Lower Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
Circa 1963
Sago palm spathe, pigment, plant fiber
Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Dr. and Mrs. George Kennedy. X63.671
Miniature mask
Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
19th-early 20th century
Wood, pigment, shell, plant fiber, seeds
X65.4375, Gift of the Wellcome Trust
Ceremonial house board
Papuan Gulf, Papua New Guinea
19th-20th century
Wood, pigment
X65.5296; Gift of the Wellcome Trust
Calendrical/divination devices
Batak peoples, Sumatra, Indonesia
19th-early 20th century
Bone, pigment
X65.5664, Gift of the Wellcome Trust
Bow stand
Luba peoples
Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mid to late 19th century
Wood
H: 73.5 cm, W: 19.0 cm, D: 11.0 cm (H: 28.9 in, W: 7.4 in, D: 4.3 in)
Gift of the Wellcome Trust. X65.7489
Object Name: Miniature mask
Artist: Unknown
Place of Origin: Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
Date: 19th-early 20th century
Dimensions: H: 13.50 cm, W: 5.50 cm, D: 4.00 cm
Materials Used: Wood
Credit Line and Accession Number: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of the Wellcome Trust. X65.7779
Object Name: Miniature mask
Artist: Unknown
Place of Origin: Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
Date: 19th-early 20th century
Dimensions: H: 13.50 cm, W: 6.50 cm, D: 4.00 cm
Materials Used: Wood, seeds
Credit Line and Accession Number: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of the Wellcome Trust. X65.7781
Calendrical/divination device
Batak peoples
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th-early 20th century
Bone and pigment
L: 37.5 cm, W: 4.5 cm, H: 5.0 cm (L: 14.7 in, W: 1.7 in, H: 1.9 in)
Gift of the Wellcome Trust. X65.8018
Bark painting
Artist: Dawidi
Arnhem Land, Northern Australia
1960’s
Bark and pigment
H: 94.0 cm, W: 46.0 cm, D: 7.5 cm (H: 37.0 in, W: 18.1 in, D: 2.9 in)
Museum purchase. X67.7
Divination Tray
Nigeria
Yoruba peoples
Wood
19th century
D: 38 cm (D: 14.9 in)
Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of the Ralph B. Lloyd Foundation. X70.646
Object Name: Drum (ntan)
Artist: Osei Bonsu (1900-1977)
Culture: Asante peoples
Place of Origin: Kumasi, Ghana
Date/Era: Circa 1935
Medium/Materials: Wood, pigment, hide
Dimensions: H: 111.7 cm (H: 43.9 in)
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Dr. Donald Suggs.
Accession Number: X78.136
Object Name: Divination device
Artist: Unknown
Place of Origin: Tibet
Date: Late 19th century
Dimensions: H: 30.50 cm, W: 27.50 cm, D: 2.00 cm
Materials Used: Copper
Credit Line and Accession Number: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Koshler. X81.24
Calendrical/divination device
Batak peoples
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th-early 20th century
Bone and pigment
L: 37.0 cm, W: 4.5 cm, D: 5.0 cm (L: 14.6 in, W: 1.7 in, D: 1.9 in)
Fowler Museum at UCLA. The Jerome L. Joss Collection. X91.616
Ceramic vessel
Maya
Yucatan, Mexico
Classic Period, 250-900 C.E.
Ceramic
H: 16.0 cm, Diam: 16.2 cm (H: 6.3 in, Diam: 6.4 in)
Anonymous gift. X91.632
Object Name: Pot lid
Artist: Unknown
Cultural Group: Woyo peoples
Place of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola
Date: Late 19th-early 20th century
Dimensions: H: 5.60 cm, DIAM: 17.80 cm
Materials Used: Wood
Credit Line and Accession Number: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Museum Purchase with funds provided by Jay T. Last. X99.26.10
Object Name: Pot lid
Artist: Unknown
Cultural Group: Woyo peoples
Place of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola
Date: Late 19th-early 20th century
Dimensions: H: 5.00 cm, DIAM: 15.00 cm
Materials Used: Wood
Credit Line and Accession Number: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Museum Purchase with funds provided by Jay T. Last. X99.26.24
Object Name: Pot lid
Artist: Unknown
Cultural Group: Woyo peoples
Place of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola
Date: Late 19th-early 20th century
Dimensions: H: 5.70 cm, DIAM: 16.50 cm
Materials Used: Wood
Credit Line and Accession Number: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Museum Purchase with funds provided by Jay T. Last. X99.26.28