M0012664: Two lime spatulae, New Guinea / M0012665: Miniature poison-tipped arrows with bow and quiver, Central Africa

Previous title, replaced August 2022: Lime spatulae, New Guinea/Previous title, replaced August 2022: Poison-tipped arrows, Central Africa

Wellcome Historical Medical Museum display of items: a lime spatula with the handle carved in an anthropomorphic form, from either the Trobriand Islands, or Marsim Area, New Guinea; a T-shaped ceremonial lime spatula with a stylized design, from the Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea; and a set of miniature poison-tipped arrows, with bow and quiver, from Central Africa. The spatulae were purchased at auction by the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum in 1934 and accessioned in 1937 (accession numbers R2514/1937 and R2512/1937 respectively). The arrows, bow and quiver were acquired at an unknown point and accessioned in 1952 (accession number R25/1952). The items featured in the "Medicine of the Aboriginal Peoples in the British Commonwealth" exhibition which opened at the Museum in July 1952

August 1952

1 photograph glass plate negative; 12 x 16.5 cm

Wellcome Collection holds the accession registers which provide entries for the items: R2512/1937 and R2514/1937 and R25/1952. It also holds the exhibition catalogue.

Copyright is held by Wellcome Collection

Catalogue data comes from a combination of entries in the original glass plate registers, metadata created when the glass plates were digitised in the early 2000s and enhancements made by the cataloguer in 2022.

This item is fragile. Email library@wellcomecollection.org to request access to the physical item.