Pacific Jewelry and Adornment

About this book

This magnificent book showcases more than 250 of the finest examples of traditional jewelry from the Pacific. Myriad designs and materials including jade whale teeth and bone shark teeth tapa shells and plant fibers are woven together in a skillful combination of color and craftsmanship. Apart from their beauty these personal items also convey information about power status and community. Their significance the ceremonies in which they are worn and the messages they convey are explored in an illuminating introductory essay. Drawing on the extensive collections of the Auckland Museum the jewelry shown here represents a vast geographical area: Micronesia Papua New Guinea Vanuatu Fiji Samoa Tonga Hawaii Niue the Marquesas the Cook Islands and New Zealand. The amazing variety of styles and materials reflects the lifestyles preoccupations and imperatives of a people surrounded by the largest ocean on the planet.