Melo, Cymbium or Tridacna shell clam, turtle shell, thin shell disc with extremely delicate turtle shell fretwork overlay, triangles in openwork design with toothed rim, two drilled holes for attachment on cord, bead in the centre, minor missing parts;
variations on the "kapkap" form are made and worn quite widely in the Solomon Islands and coastal New Guinea but those from the Solomons are distinguished by the fineness of their turtle shell fretwork overlay. Men wore a "kapkap" in battle and at festivals as a symbol of their wealth.
D: 14 cm, D: 5,5 inch
Provenance:
German Private Collection (acquired in 1957)
Lit.: Roger Neich & Fuli Pereira, Pacific Jewelry and Adornment, o.O. 2004, p. 115
Continent: Oceania

See description