MusV_X_098764

Title: A message stick from Central Australia in Museums Victoria

Description: Mus V object description, PDF: "Long cylindrical message stick with pointed ends. Surface has been decorated with a pokerwork design consisting of an irregular pitted pattern."

Date Created: 1995

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem (registered 3 July 1995) MV Primary comments: original worksheet includes "Invoice NO. 50 25/1/83"; 1995 or 1983

Item type: message stick in a collection

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

Dimension 1: 470mm Dimension 2: 20mm Dimension 3: 15mm

Materials: wood

Techniques: burnt, carved

Institution/Holder file: Museums Victoria object identifier: X 98764

Collector: Donated by Robert Edwards The Christensen Fund

Media copyright: Museums Victoria

Notes: MV Register, primary comments: "From original worksheet: 'Long and finely made with marks over surface which convey the message.' Ref 92/5 Acquired from Aboriginal & Pacific Art Gallery. Invoice No. 50 25/1/83" 1995-07-03 (date registered) MusV data: "X 098764, 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 image the design is consistent with a message stick and inconsistent with a tjurunga.

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly, Alexandra Roginski