MusV_X_098761
Title: One of a pair of message sticks from Central Australia in Museums Victoria
Description: MV object description, PDF: "Pair of wooden message sticks. Long flat sticks tapered at either end. Surfaces are unmarked."
Date Created: 1982
Notes on date created: Terminus ante quem (comments indicate that date of acquisition was 7 June 1982).
Item type: message stick in a collection
Dimension 1: 260mm Dimension 2: 30mm Dimension 3: 15mm
Materials: wood
Techniques: carved
Sources:
Institution/Holder file: Museums Victoria object identifier: X 98761
Collector: Collector identified as Mr Robert Edwards The Christensen Fund Collection
Media copyright: Museums Victoria
Notes: MusV primary comments: "From original worksheet: "Pair of plain message sticks used when travelling between tribal territories." Ref 92/5. Acquired from James R. Lawson Pty Ltd, Inv No. 03088, 7/6/82 (Lot 156), Zorich Ref 11407/98." Registered on 3 July 1995 MusV data: "X 098761, Message stick, Central Australia, Australia, Registered The Christensen Fund (Donation) The Christensen Fund Collection " 21.11.24 PK: The catalogue sheets for the Christensen Fund are in a separate box and with a separate set of accession numbers prefixed with CC. They are not easily matched to items in EMu. PK eyeballed some of these sheets and found many tjurungas and two message sticks (there may be more). At least one of these message sticks was described in very similar terms as a tjurunga. This item, and others in the Christensen collection will first need to be associated with the paper catalogue sheets. Circumstantially, the Christensen "message sticks" may be ceremonial boards. However in this particular case the surfaces are unmarked so they are most likely not tjurungas.
Media Files:
Data Entry: Piers Kelly, Alexandra Roginski