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Bowl in bird form
Viti Levu
mid 20th century
Object Place: Viti Levu, Fiji
Medium/Technique
Wood
Dimensions
Overall: 46.3 cm (18 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Governor Carlton Skinner and Solange Skinner
Accession Number2009.4964
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsContemporary Art, Africa and Oceania
ClassificationsSculpture
In pre-Christian Fiji, bowls in the form of a flying duck were an important element of a priest's ritual equipment. Scholars have disagreed about their precise use, but they were probably used to serve a ritual drink.
Provenance1970s, acquired in Fiji by Dr. Solange Skinner, Boston; 2009, gift of Solange Skinner to the MFA. (Accession Date: November 18, 2009)