prmlogo2Cook-Voyage Collections
at the Pitt Rivers Museum

1886.1.1518

PRM000011585Drum, pahu ′upa ′upa, of wood, shark-skin, and coconut fibre, from the Society Islands (probaby Tahiti); part of the Forster collection (Forster 25; 1886.1.1518)

Cylindrical standing drum, carved from a single piece of wood, possibly pua (Fragraea berteriana) or reva (Cerbera manghas). The base is carved to form a ring, connected to the upper resonating chamber by nine legs. The skin is shark (the smoothed-off dermal denticles can clearly be seen under the microscope), tensioned with plaited coconut fibre cord, which is passed through the skin and around the base

 

  PRM000095491Drum, side 1 (with scale)
PRM000095492Drum, side 2 (with scale)
PRM000095493Drum, side 3 (with scale)
PRM000095496Detail of skin
PRM000095495Detail of base
PRM0001299145179Older Ashmolean label
PRM0001299255179Ashmolean label
PRM0001299205179Display label
.