part of APPENDIX F

Dresden, Germany 

State Ethnological Museum

Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde

Exhibitions:
Japanisches Palais
Palaisplatz 11
D-01097 Dresden
Germany
Tel +49 351 8144841,
Fax +49 351 8144888

Research, Storage and Administration:
Königsbrücker Landstrasse 159
D-01109 Dresden
Germany
Tel. +49 351 8926202,
Fax +49 351 8926203

Prof. Dr. Lydia Icke-Schwalbe
in charge of South and East Asian research and publications

The attractive 'Japanisches Palais' on the banks of the River Elbe was not begun but in its essential features commissioned and completed in baroque style by August II the Strong in the early 18th century. He wanted it to house and make available for viewing to the public - a revolutionary concept at the time! - his ever-expanding collections of art and curios, including his famous collection of Japanese porcelain (hence the name). Until very recently this remarkable building housed not only the Museum für Völkerkunde but also of a number of other museums. Although the palace is large, with so many museums and all their exhibitions, depots and staff under its roof, conditions were rather crowded and the building badly in need of refurbishment. By early 2000 all Museums had been moved out: the palace is being restored and, on completion, will become a major and no doubt spectacular venue for their exhibitions, public lectures and the like.

The museums' less public research departments, administrations and storage depots will not return to the Palais. They have moved permanently into a new building specially erected for them in a huge former military compound away from the center of Dresden. Life will be more efficient there for the researchers, the collections are safer and can be cared for much easier in their new climatized surroundings. However, the new site is rather a long way out and is just as heavy with German history as the Palais was - but with a more recent and far less glamorous history. The compound started life as the Hermann Göring aircraft establishment, later became a Soviet and then an East German air force base. Barbed wire still pointlessly crowns the equally pointless high walls around the compound. To reach the new museum building behind all this, one also has to pass through an abandoned and rather spooky guard house. History is still close enough here to be painful.

Although the prince electors of Saxonia in the 17th and 18th centuries had a few objects from the Coromandel coast of India in their, it was the missionaries of the 19th century that first brought scientifically relevant and valuable to Dresden. The Museum was founded in 1875. Its first director was interested above all in the Far East while among his successors the Amerindian collections received more attention. The Museum has collections covering every major ethnological area of the world. Besides The Far East and the Americas, there are also collections covering Africa, the Near East, Europe, Siberia, Oceania and Australia.

Among the collections from the area that the Museum calls "South and Middle Asia" the Andamanese collection has been called "a genuine ethnological treasure" by its custodian, Dr. Lydia Icke-Schwalbe. And a treasure it is indeed.

During the 19th century, the Museum had received only a few isolated Andamanese items from private donors: 4 pieces from Mr. Wroblewsky in 1880 (see nos. 1, 49 and 50 below) and one piece from Dr. Uhle in 1887 (see no. 79 below). However, in 1904 Viscount Gough, British minister resident at Dresden, presented more than 40 pieces of Great Andamanese origin as a gift to the city. These seem to have been items collected in the Andamans by Mr. E.H. Man (for whose biography see Appendix A). In 1912 one additional piece was acquired through purchase (see no. 6 below) and in 1929 collection was further expanded through the acquisition of three dozen additional items from the Dresden Hygienic Museum which had originally purchased them from the commercial dealer Umlauff at Hamburg in 1920.

The descriptions of the original collectors have introduced some confusion: strings of dentalia shells are sometimes mis-described as "rod corals". We have not attempted to correct the error here as the old description may be accurate in some cases.

The collection has been published in detail and illustrated in Dr. Lydia Icke-Schwalbe's 1986 book The Andamanese Collection in the State Museum of Ethnography Dresden, GDR (German Democratic Republic). Desden: Forschungsstelle, Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde Dresden, from which the following list is taken and to which the running numbers refer. This book claims a total of 132 items in the Museum's Andamanese collection.

Hunting implements

15 objects

1a. Pig arrow e.la, iron headed. Cat.no. 8348 (acquired 1880)

1b. Pig arrow e.la, iron headed. Cat.no. 18080 (acquired 1904)

2a. Fish arrow ti.rted, multiple iron headed. Cat.no. 18157 (acquired 1904)

2b. Pig arrow e.la-la.ka lu.pa, iron headed. Cat.no. 18072 (acquired 1904)

3. Fish spear (harpoon) ti.remo, multiple headed, North Great Andamanese.Cat.no. 18064 (acquired 1904)

4. Child's arrow, bamboo, North Great Andamanese. Cat.no. 45253 (acquired 1929)

5a. General purpose arrow, iron pointed. Cat.no. 18131 (acquired 1904)

5b. General purpose arrow, iron pointed. Cat.no. 18135 (acquired 1904)

5c. Fish arrow, iron pointed. Cat.no. 45256 (acquired 1929)

6. Pig spear er-du.tnga, iron pointed. Cat.no. 25967 (acquired 1912)

7. Turtle harpoon bet.ma-da, twisted fibre with iron point. Cat.no. 45262 (acquired 1929)

8. (cat.nos. 18157, 25967, 45256, 18131, 45260e, 18135, 45260d, 18072, 45253, 18070 and 8348 shown together)

9a. Child's bow ka.rama.ba, 1.1 m, North Great Andamanese.Cat.no. 18063 (acquired 1904)

9b. Bow ka.rama, 1.7 m, North Great Andamanese. Cat.no. 45250 (acquired 1929)

9c. Bow, 2 m, South Great Andamanese (A-Pucikwar tribe). Cat.no. 45249 (acquired 1929)

9d. Bow, 2.1 m, painted white and ornamented with scratched lines, South Great Andamans (A-Pucikwar tribe). Cat.no. 45252 (acquired 1929)

10.(details of cat.nos. 45249 and 45252)

11. (details of cat.nos. 45249 and 45252)

12. (details of cat.no. 45252)

Technical and household implements

47 objects

13. Dugout canoe roho-da, 1.64 m length, with paddle, outrigger is missing, South Great Andamanese. Cat.no. 45263 (acquired 1929)

14. Vessel, wooden, 1.15 m x 21.5 cm. Cat.no. 45253 (acquired 1929)

15. Bowl pu.kuta.yat.mank.nga, used as tray, material not specified, 74.5 x 21.0 cm, painted netlike ornaments on inner side. Cat.no. 18111 (acquired 1904)

16. Cooking pot buj, earthenware, 24.5 cm high. Cat.no. 18080 (acquired 1904)

17. Food tray pu.kuta.yak.mank.nga, material not specified, 68 x 16.5 cm. Cat.no. 18110 (acquired 1904)

18. Bucket da.kar, wooden, 61.5 cm high. Cat.no. 18075 (acquired 1904).

19. Bucket da.kar, wooden, painted with brownish wax and while colour, 51.5 cm high, South Great Andamanese. Cat.no. 45242 (acquired 1929)

20. Bucket, made of of bark, used to collect honey, 37 cm high. Cat.no. 45241 (acquired 1904

21. Water vessel ko.pot, made of bamboo, with scratched net-like ornamentation, 43 cm high. Cat.no. 18121 (acquired 1904)

22. Basket job or ra.mata, woven, used for carrying food and other articles, 24.5 cm high. Cat.no. 18083 (acquired 1904)

23. Nautilus shell o.do, used as drinking vessel, not ornamented. Cat.no. 18076 (acquired 1904)

24. Nautilus shell o.do, used as drinking vessel, ornamentally painted. Cat.no. 45245 (acquired 1929)

25. Sleeping mat par.epa, 1.75 m long. Cat.no. 18085 (acquired 1904)26. Adze wo.lo, with iron blade, 36 cm length. Cat.no. 18077 (acquired 1904, the same again 1929)

27. Small carrier bag (reticule) cha.panga, made of netted vegetable fibre, 55 x 24 cm. Cat.no. 18084 (acquired 1904).

28. Netting needles (two) po.tokla, wooden, larger needle 18.5 cm, smaller needle 14.8 cm long. Cat.no. 181153 and 18154 (acquired 1904)

29a. Hook tog-nga.tanga, used for gathering fruit, 97.5 cm long. Cat.no. 18079 (acquired 1904)

29b. Tongs kai, bamboo. Cat.no. 18115 (acquired 1904)

29c. Crab hook ka.ta.nga.tanga, 68 cm long. Cat.no. 18116 (acquired 1904)

29d. Tail of sting ray nip.lar.bul. Cat.no. 18120 (acquired 1904)

30. Hand fishing net (small) kud, made of vegetable fibre. Cat.no. 18082 (acquired 1904)

31. Hand fishing net (large), made of vegetable fibre. Cat.no. 45267 (acquired 1929)

32. Small carrier bag for shells (reticule), made of netted vegetable fibre, 35 x 20 cm. Cat.no. 45268 (acquired 1929).

33. A pair of knives po.cho, bamboo, 30 cm, resp. 25 cm long. Cat.no. 18122 (acquired 1904)

34. A pair of knives wai.cho, bamboo, 39 cm, resp. 23 cm long. Cat.no. 18124 (acquired 1904)

35. Cyrena shell used as knife u.ta, 6.7 x 5.9 cm. Cat.no. 18099 (acquired 1904)

36. Iron knife with small cane knife ka.no.da, iron gained from shipwreck, iron knife 23 cm, cane knife 25 cm long. Cat.no. 422247 (acquired 1929)

37. Boar's tusk pi.licha, used for planing bows, etc. 8.3 cm long. Cat.no. 18097 (acquired 1904)

38. Lump of resin tog. Cat.no. 18101 (acquired 1904)

39. Sling chip, for carrying infants, made of pandanus leaf, 55 cm long. Cat.no. 18086 (acquired 1904)

40. Hone stone or palette for body painting with clay (?) ta.lag, 20 x 10.3 cm. Cat.no. 18100 (acquired 1904).

41. -

42. Fan-like screen kapa.jat-nga.da or uj, made by sewing together the large leaves of the kapa, used as umbrella in rain and sun, for wrapping bundles of food, clay or red oxide for body painting, as personal ornament when dancing or as a sleeping mat. Cat.no. 18112 (acquired 1904)

43. Pandanus leaf used to wrap red oxide (ochre) for body painting koi.ob. Cat.no. 18104 (acquired 1904)

44. Waistband rab-ara.tinga, worn by men, made of netted vegetable fibres, 70 cm long. Cat.no. 18196 (acquired 1904)

45. Head dress ij.i-go.nga, made of Pandanus leaf, painted in cross pattern, ornamented with sea shells on long twisted vegetable fibres, 18.5 cm diameter. Cat.no. 18092 or 18089 (acquired 1904)

46. Waistbelt bod, worn by women, made of pandanus leaves, 24 cm diameter. Cat.no. 18087 (acquired 1904)

47. Waistbelt bod, worn by women, made of pandanus leaves, 22 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45231 (acquired 1929)

48. Bracelets to.go-cho.nga, worn by men, made of palm leaves, 7.5 cm diameter. Cat.no. 18090 (acquired 1904)

49. Waistbelt bod, worn by women, made of pandanus leaves with vegetable fibres, South Great Andamanese, 24 cm diameter. Cat.no. 8345 (acquired 1880)

50. Waistbelt bod, worn by women, made of pandanus leaves with vegetable fibres, South Great Andamanese, 23 cm diameter. Cat.no. 5736 (acquired 1880)

51. Garters ta-cho.nga, worn by men and youths, made of palm leaves with vegetable fibres, South Great Andamanese, 10.5 cm diameter. Cat.no. 18091 (acquired 1904)

52. Necklace, made of a string of snail shells, with two sea shells attached on attached strings, 15 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45228 (acquired 1929)

53. Necklace re.keto-ta, made of a string of 12 sea shells (Hemicardium unedo), with four attached strings each terminating with a similar sea shell, 12 cm diameter. Cat.no. 18105 (acquired 1904)

54. Waistbelt kolo, made of a string of snail shells, with four attached strings each terminating with a sea shell, also additional but shorter separate strings of rod corals, 24 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45227 (acquired 1929)

55. Waistbelt, made of a string of snail shells, with attached strings of which three terminate with a sea shell, 24 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45229 (acquired 1929)

56. Necklace i.na-o.la-ta, made of a string of fresh water shells, 134 cm long. Cat.no. 18118 (acquired 1904)

57. Necklace, string of snail shells, made of four attached strings each terminating with a sea shell, 15 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45226 (acquired 1929)

58. Waist belt garen.peta, worn by both sexes, made of netted vegetable fibre, and ornamented with attached strings of rod corals and glass pearls, one sea shell, 22 cm diameter. Cat.no. 18129 (acquired 1904)

59. Necklace, made of small snail shells (Cerithium conicum), 4 rows at13 cm in diameter. Cat.no. 45225 (acquired 1929

60. Necklace nga.tya-ta, made of mangrove seedtops, 1.93 m length. Cat.no. 18094 (acquired 1904)

61. Netted belt, made of vegetable fibrem ornamented with attached strings of rod corals and sea shells, 1.5 m long. Cat.no. 45214 (acquired 1929)

62. Netted garter, made of netted vegetable fibre, ornamented with attached strings rod corals, pearls and sea shells, roughly painted with red oxide (ochre), 52 cm long. Cat.no. 45211 (acquired 1929)

63. Bracelet, made of netted vegetable fibres, ornamented with attached strings of rod corals and shells, 25 cm long. Cat.no. 45213 (acquired 1929)

64. Bracelet, made of netted fibres, ornamented with attached strings of rod corals, 38 cm long. Cat.no. 45221 (acquired 1929)

65. Bracelet, made of pandanus leaf, ornamented with attached strings of rod coral, roughly painted with red oxide (ochre), 20 cm long. Cat.no. 45210 (acquired 1929)

66. Bracelet, made of strips of red cloth, mostly bounded by vegetable fibres, covered with grey mud, ornamented with attached strings of rod corals and sea shells, 30 cm long. Cat.no. 42220 (acquired 1929)

67. Necklace, worn by women, made of strings of rod corals, length 106 cm. Cat.no. 45222 (acquired 1929)

68. Bracelet, worn by children, made of vegetable fibre tightly bound, ornamented with attached strings of rod corals and five separately attached and longer strings each terminating in a sea shell, 5.5 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45219 (acquired 1929)

69. Waistbelt, worn by men, made of strings of rod coral, 20 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45224 (acquired 1929)

70. Waistbelt garen.peta-da, made of vegetable fibres, thickly ornamented with very many attached strings of rod corals, 22 cm diameter. Cat.no. 45216 (acquired 1929)

71. Belt for carrying children, also worn occasionally by men (chiefs) as breast belt, made of netted vegetable fibres, ornamented with attached strings of rod coral intermixed with glass pearls and sea shells, 92 cm long. Cat.no. 45217 (acquired 1929)

72. Waistbelt, netted vegetable fibres, ornamented with attached strings of rod coral, some terminating with a shell or glass pearl, 69 cm long. Cat.no. 45217. (acquired 1929)

Ritual and Mourning

8 objects

73. Human skull chan.ga lot che.ta, worn be relatives (especially women), painted with red oxide (ochre), with sling of netted vegetable fibre , ornamented with attached strings of rod corals, glass perls and sea shells. Cat.no. 18095 (acquired 1904)

74. Human skull chan.ga lot che.ta, worn be relatives (especially women), painted with white clay, with sling of netted vegetable fibre , ornamented with attached strings of which some terminate in sea shells. Cat.no. 42566 (acquired 1929)

75. Skull of wild boar, as preserved in the communal hut, tied up with spliced cane. Cat.no. 45236 (acquired 1929)

76. Human bone necklace chau.gata, used as amulet when sick, string of human bones from deceased relatives and friends, painted with red ochre, 75 cm long. Cat.no. 18125 (acquired 1904)

77. Human lower jaw chau.ga la.ka.e.kib, worn by mourning relatives, prepared as necklace with netted belt of vegetable fibres, ornamented with some shells. Cat.no. 18119 (acquired 1904)

78. Human lower jaw chau.ga la.ka.e.kib, worn by mourning relatives, prepared as necklace with netted belt of vegetable fibres, ornamented and completely covered with rod coral and some intermixed glass pearls. Cat.no. 45535 (acquired 1929)

79. Human bone necklace chau.gata, used as amulet when sick, string of human bones from deceased relatives and friends, painted with red ochre, 50 cm long. Cat.no. 6853 (acquired 1887)

80. Necklace of iguana backbone du.ku-ta, 65 cm long. Cat.no. 18093 (acquired 1904)

81. (2 photographs reproduced from E.H. Man, Journal of the Anthropological Institute, 1883, vol. 12, plate 9, fig. 1, showing Andamanese holding various tools and implements)

82. (a photograph from E.H. Man, Journal of the Anthropological Institute, 1889, vol. 12, plate 7, showing two Great Andamanese canoes)

83. (a photograph from E.H. Man, Journal of the Anthropological Institute, 1883, vol. 12, plate 8, fig. 2, showing a Great Andamanese man with bow and arrows) 

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Last changed 6 December 2003