Item X 10212 Ornament, neck. McArthur River, Gulf, Northern Territory, Australia. c.1900

Summary

This necklace is typical of the type of ornament made and worn by women in the arid regions of Australia. These and other similar ornaments were made for both ceremonial and decorative purposes. This one has an unusual treatment at the end of the tying string that consists of a lump of resin embedded with Abrus seeds.

Physical Description

A head or neck ornament made of twelve cords of string bound and coated with red ochre. A single string is attached to one end to which a finer string with a has a lump of resin embedded with abrus seeds.