id:			136928
accession number:	1961.405
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1961.405
updated:		2022-01-04 16:08:07.217000

Treasure Box (Wakahuia), 1800s. Polynesia, New Zealand, Maori people, 19th century. Wood with abalone shell; overall: 17.2 cm (6 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Mary Spedding Milliken Memorial Collection, Gift of William Mathewson Milliken 1961.405

title:				Treasure Box (Wakahuia)
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			1800s
creation date earliest:		1800
creation date latest:		1899
current location:		
creditline:			The Mary Spedding Milliken Memorial Collection, Gift of William Mathewson Milliken
copyright:			

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culture:	Polynesia, New Zealand, Maori people, 19th century
technique:	wood with abalone shell
department:	Oceania
collection:	Oceanic Art
type:		Sculpture
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Overall: 17.2 cm (6 3/4 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Year in Review - 1962
	opening date:   1962-10-24T04:00:00
	<i>Year in Review - 1962</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (October 24-November 25, 1962).

	title:		The Persistence of Geometry: Form, Content and Culture in the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art
	opening date:   2006-06-09T00:00:00
	<i>The Persistence of Geometry: Form, Content and Culture in the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art</i>. Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA), Cleveland, OH (June 9-August 20, 2006).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

* MOCA Cleveland (6/9/2006 - 8/20/2006):  "The Persistence of Geometry: Form, Content and Culture in the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art", no. 40, p. 117, color repr. p. 52.

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PROVENANCE

	Harry Beasley
	date: 
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	Harry Beasley
	date: 
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact: 


digital description: 


wall description: 
Decorated with low-relief spiral designs and small carved figures at each end, the treasure box was used to store ornaments worn by chiefs: feathers of the huia bird, combs, and pendants (hei-tiki).  Because the heads and necks of high-ranking Maori chiefs were tapu, or sacred, their personal adornments were dangerous to children or individuals of lower rank.  Treasure boxes were therefore hung from the rafters of the chief's house.  Boxes like this one were in use when Captain Cook visited New Zealand in 1769-70.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Sims, Lowery Stokes. The Persistence of Geometry: Form, Content, and Culture in the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2006. 
	page number: 	p. 117, color repr. p. 52, no. 40.
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1961.405/1961.405_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1961.405/1961.405_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1961.405/1961.405_full.tif