GMD26459

Title: A message stick from Southwest Australia held in the Museum of Ethnology Dresden / Grassi Museum Dresden (Museum für Völkerkunde Dresden)

Description: SKD online catalogue: "Botenstab zur Nachrichtenübermittlung" (Google translate: Messenger staff for message transmission)

Creator of Object: Unknown

Date Created: 1904

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem

Item type: message stick in a collection

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is given simply as "Southwest Australia". It therefore cannot be a associated with a linguistic area.

Dimension 1: 189mm Dimension 2: 10mm Dimension 3: 10mm

Materials: wood

Techniques: incised decoration, inlaid with pigments

Source types: museum collection

Date collected: Acquisition date 1904

Institution/Holder file: Museum of Ethnology Dresden (The Grassi Museum Dresden) object identifier: 26459

Collector: Webster, William Downing (1868-1913)

Media copyright: Museum of Ethnology Dresden (The Grassi Museum Dresden)

URL institution: https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/Index/1559844

Notes: Note that artefact no. 9 in the full photograph is of a sheep counting stick from the Aran Islands, Ireland, and not an Australian message stick. 28.5.24 NR: Object was previously on display at the Deutsches Buch- und Schriftmuseum, Leipzig (and was labeled in OCCAMS as DBSM06), with the following display information: From museum placard: "Merkhilfe für Einladungen: Botenstäbchen und Botschaftsstock Südwest-Australien und Nord-Queensland. Anfang 20. Jh. Museum für Völkerdunde Dresden, Staatliche Ethnographische Sammlungen Sachsen, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Hölzerne Botenstäbe wurden in Australien verwendet, um Botschaften über große Entfernungen an andere Stammesgruppen zu übermitteln. Die eingeritzten Zeichen oder Kerben dienten als Gedächtnisstütze für die meist jungen Männer, die Einladungen zu Trauerfeiern und anderen rituallen Festen sowie Ort und Zeit zur Austragung von Kämpfen mündlich überbrachten. Gleichzeitig gewährten die Stäbe den Trägern Immunität beim Betreten von feindlichen Gebiet." Google translate: "Memory aid for invitations: messenger sticks and message sticks for Southwest Australia and North Queensland. Early 20th century: Museum für Völkerdunde Dresden, State Ethnographic Collections of Saxony, State Art Collections Dresden. Wooden messenger sticks were used in Australia to convey messages over long distances to other tribal groups. The carved symbols or notches served as a reminder for the mostly young men, who verbally conveyed invitations to funeral ceremonies and other ritual celebrations as well as the place and time for fighting. At the same time, the staffs granted the bearers immunity when entering enemy territory."

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly, Nitzan Rotman