Fishskin Helmet
date: label: Accession Date
content: 1858
label: Collection Date
content: 1838 to 1842
name: label: Donor Name
content: United States Exploring Expedition
notes: label: Notes
content: HELMET MADE OF SPOTTED PORCUPINE FISHSKIN WITH FLAPS TO COVER THE EAR, NOW DRIED INTO A POSITION FOLDED-UP UNDERNEATH THE HELMET. THERE IS A COCONUT FIBER CORD CHIN-STRAP WHICH IS BROKEN. THERE IS ALSO A METAL ROD WHICH CIRCLES THE INTERIOR AND PROTRUDES THROUGH THE BACK; PRESUMABLY THIS IS AN EARLY EXHIBITION MOUNT. PUBLICATION: ILLUSTRATED IN THE "NARRATIVE IN UNITED STATES EXPLORING EXPEDITION," 1838-1842, VOL. V, P. 79 AND P. 50; ALSO DISCUSSED & ILLUSTRATED IN THOMPSON, "AUKS, ROCKS & THE OLD DINOSAUR," 1985, P. 62-65. THIS OBJECT WAS ON PERMANENT EXHIBIT IN THE PACIFIC HALL, N.M.N.H., BUT WAS REMOVED AND EXHIBITED "MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS," NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 1985-86. EXHIBITED SITES "MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS," 1987-89.
label: Notes
content: This object was on display in the National Museum of Natural History exhibit "Objects of Wonder", 2017 - 2024.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 15 Jan 2025
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Kiribati Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Gilbertese
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 66A00050
label: USNM Number
content: E3685-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Helmet
physicalDescription: label: Width - Object
content: 22 cm
label: Height - Object
content: 26 cm