Mundurucú headdress

Dated: 1866 (prior to)

Cultural Context: Mundurucú style

Origin: Rio Tapajoz (Brazil)

Medium: Feather, cotton and vegetable fibre

Technique: Cut, woven, knotted, stitched

Dimensions: Length = 50 cm; Width = 18 cm; Thickness = 11.80 cm

Inventory no.: 13842

Woven cotton skullcap onto which yellow and red macaw feathers (Ara macao) have been knotted. The lower part is made of longer blue and red feathers, and shorter black feathers have been sewn to the distal edge. This headdress, called a “cubrenuca”, is worn by Mundurucú men in festive celebrations. The feathers are usually trimmed to obtain the desired size and shape, while the colours are selected according to symbolic and ritual criteria. This headdress is part of a set of pieces collected by the Pacific Scientific Expedition that took place between 1862 and 1865.