Item X 70656 Ornament, head. East Cape York, Queensland, Australia. before 1930

Summary

A mourning cap made of grass fibre using the twining stitch and possibly worn by a woman. It may have been made from the base of an old twined basket.

Physical Description

A circular cap made from grass fibre using the twining technique.

Significance

This is a very rare piece and may be the only example in existence. Donald Thomson photographed a Kuuku-Ya'u woman in mourning wearing one of these head caps.