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: --- culture: Polynesia, New Zealand, Maori people, 19th century technique: wood with abalone shell department: Oceania collection: Oceanic Art type: Sculpture find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 17.2 cm (6 3/4 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Year in Review - 1962 opening date: 1962-10-24T04:00:00 Year in Review - 1962. 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 The Persistence of Geometry: Form, Content and Culture in the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA), Cleveland, OH (June 9-August 20, 2006). --- 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. --- PROVENANCE Harry Beasley date: footnotes: citations: Harry Beasley date: footnotes: citations: --- 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. --- RELATED WORKS --- 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: --- 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