Poison Dart Quiver and Gourd for Flights | Yale University Art Gallery

late 19th–early 20th century

On view, 3rd floor, Indo-Pacific Art

Most people in the interior of Borneo are farmers who grow rice, tubers, and vegetables, but hunting is also important for the region. Until recently, small groups of nomadic people, the Punan and Penan, lived almost exclusively by hunting and gathering. Game and birds are shot with poisoned arrows. The poison is kept in elaborately decorated gourd vessels like this one.

Medium: Bamboo and gourd, with coconut shell, animal bone, metal, and glass beads
Dimensions: 15 3/8 × 5 1/2 × 7 1/2 in. (39 × 14 × 19 cm)
base: 10 5/8 × 2 3/4 × 6 5/16 in. (27 × 7 × 16 cm)
Credit Line: Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
Loan number: ILE2012.30.297
Geography: Made in Borneo, Indonesia
Culture: probably Kayan
Classification: Arms
Disclaimer: Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance

Ex-collection: D. Manfred, Milan

Object copyright

Additional information

Object/Work type

armor, quivers

Technical metadata and APIs

IIIF: Open in Mirador

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