amsd_00047

Title: Sketch of a message stick by Hamlyn-Harris (1918)

Description: Sketch of message stick on p.33, Fig.29, of "On messages and "Message Sticks" employed among the Queensland Aborigines" by R. Hamlyn-Harris: "This stick was obtained by Mr. W.A.Chambers, who was stationed at Wyndham. It was said to be tabu to women. I am, however, inclined to dispute this statement, and beyond placing the remark on record I should hesitate to accept it until such a statement has been definitely confirmed. There are three sinus (unbroken) lines winding from end to end, reaching to within about one inch of each end. These are interspersed by animal tracks hiding in opposite directions. Message unknown."

Date Created: 1918

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem

Item type: image of a message stick (artefact missing)

State/Territory: WA

Notes on linguistic areas: The message stick is associated with West Australia, Flora Valley district, 20 miles from Hall's Creek, Kimberley Division

Dimension 1: 274mm Dimension 2: 12mm

Materials: wood

Sources:

Hamlyn Harris, R. 1918. “On messages and ‘message sticks’ employed among the Queensland Aborigines.”

Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 6:13-36.

Collector: Mr. W. A. Chambers

Coordinates: 18°19'18.098400"S,128°12.499200"E  (-18.321694, 128.003472)

Notes on coordinates: Approximate coordinates for Flora Valley (about 20 miles from Hall's Creek), Western Australia, per Google maps.

URL source 1: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47577#page/51/mode/1up

Media Files:

Data Entry: Julia Bespamyatnykh, Nitzan Rotman