Object Number: E4521

Collection: World Cultures

Object Name: Personal Ornament

Description: Ground trochus (?) shell used for armlets. More than one armlet is broken (one was at one point stuck together again using cellotape, but this has since turned yellow and dry causing the halves to separate again). All are thin and approx the same size. Several of them are covered in a dark yellow gelatinous glue-like substance, but how and when this was acquired is unknown. Various shades of off-white. (Trochus sea snails are commonly found in the Pacific. Their insides resemble mother-of-pearl. Often used to make personal accessories and ornamentation. Other museums with such armlets include Auckland, National Maritime, Te Papa)