The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Native American Neck Ornament [ARK00085]
Attached People: Collector (major) - Bargrave, John (1610-1680)Location(s): Current location at - Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archives (Library and/or Archive) -> Canterbury Cathedral (Institution)
Annotation:[Canterbury Catalog: This neck ornament is part of a set of porcupine quill adornments given to John Bargrave as a gift of thanks from "one Mr. Tymothy Couley", one of the 162 "slaves" freed after Bargrave's negotiations with the Dey of Algiers and the "10,000lb of hierarchical money, for that purpose". Bargrave thought they came from the north-west of America or the West Indies. In fact, they probably came from the Cree tribe on the south of Hudson's Bay. 12 Lengths of twisted cord, reddish brown in colour, laid side by side, have been bound at each end with coloured vegetable fibre (red, brown and white) and joined by a strip of leather. The ornament then continues at each end as a panel of red, brown and white plant fibre-wrapped in coloured plant material, to within about 47mm of the ends. The ornament is apparently designed to hang around the neck with the panels and tassels at the front, tied by the two thongs so that the panels lie side by side.] (approx early - mid 17th cent)