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Chest


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Nom de l'objet : Chest
Catégorie de l'objet : Furnishings
Sous-catégorie de l'objet : Furniture
Matériaux : Wood, sandalwood
Numéro d'accession : 1973.1.5.B
Culture : Chinese
Date de fin de production : Circa1900
Description : One Chinese tea chest (of a set of two) made of sandalwood. Rectangular, green cover with brass nails, brass edging and a red, white and blue painted floral design. Has lock on front, two brass handles on ends and lid with two hinges.
Fonctions : Ornamentally decorated tea chests such as these were traded by the Russians to the Coastal Tlingit along with other sought after trade items such as tea, tobacco, metal knives and glass beads. These chests were typically used as cremation urns. The Tlingit as well as most southern Yukon First Nations cremated their dead and stored the ashes in wooden boxes. The ashes of the dead would then be laid to rest in a spirit house sometimes called a dead house. This practice was upheld until white missionaries promoted burial as proper method of disposing of the ashes. In both cases the funeral would be arranged by someone of the opposite moiety (societal clan) then that of the deceased. This was an important duty of the opposite moiety and the deed would receive thanks in one year's time with a potlatch ceremony. Before trade with non-Native peoples the Tlingit traditionally used bark containers or wooden boxes as funerary urns. Often the spirit houses that contained the ashes, or later, plots would be fenced in, serving both spiritual meaning as well as having the added bonus of keeping the animals away. These tea chests were traded to the Russians from China for highly sought after otter pelts and other animal furs.
Mention de crédit - Image : Yukon Government Museums Unit
Établissement : George Johnston Museum  Facebook-George Johnston Museum 
Ville de l'établissement : Teslin
Province de l'établissement : Yukon

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