This object is a metal wire necklace from Paraguay. It is approximately 43.5 cm in length and has a diameter of 13 cm. The necklace weighs about 18.5 grams. There is a break at one end of the necklace. It is unclear how much of the necklace is missing. Therefore the true original length of the necklace is unknown. The necklace is composed of 15 individual metal coils that are connected to one another by metal loops. The coils are tightly wound and each measure roughly 2 cm long. The interior of the coil is hollow which allows for a thin metal rod to slide into the coil. Then it is bent on both sides into a loop. The loops wrap around each other which then hooks the coils together one by one.
There is not much direct information regarding the object’s history or biography, but there is some evidence for the tag description that gives a few clues about the object’s past. It states that this necklace was “copied by Chaco Indians from Paraguay troops.” The Chaco War lasted between 1932-1935 and could be the reason why indigenous groups were interacting closely with Paraguayan troops (Chesterton 2016, Chpt 1). The necklace was donated by C.W Gibbons who was a missionary in Paraguay. C.W Gibbons was a member of the South America Missionary Society (In pers conv. Delphine Mercier). Unfortunately, we do not know when the necklace was acquired by UCL, nor the date in which Gibbons collected this piece or from whom. Importantly, necklaces were a key part of decorative adornments for many indigenous groups in Paraguay (Escobar 1993 & Museum of Indigenous Art, Paraguay).
Overall, the condition of the necklace appears stable. The surface and coils on the necklace also has some rust damage, and some of the coils have embedded dirt. The dirt embedded in some of the coils is a concern because the dirt can trap moisture that can then cause rusting or corrosion (Chandler 1998, 376-377). Ideally, one should treat the issues of embedded dirt and visible rust before the object going on display. The dirt could cause active rusting without any conservation intervention and could be harder to detect from visual inspection. The mount and packaging seem to be safe.
References:
Chandler, H. 1998. Metallurgy for the non-metallurgist. Materials Park, Ohio: ASM International.
Chesterton, B. (2016). The Chaco War : Environment, ethnicity, and nationalism / Bridget María Chesterton. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
Escobar, T., 1993. La Belleza de los Otros: Arte Indígena del Paraguay. Asunción: Editora Litocolor S.R.L.
No comments:
Post a Comment