Coatings on blowpipe dart quiver

As part of my part-time MA Conservation of Historic Objects course I
am currently working on a blowpipe dart quiver from Papua New
Guinea/Irian Jaya, dated 1946. The object consists of a hollow
bamboo section, a carved wooden lid, decorated with woven vegetable
fibre bands and incised chevron patterns.

The entire surface of the bamboo is covered with a thin, dark brown,
varnish like layer. The wooden lid appears to have been coated with
a wax (waterproofing?).

I am interested to know if anyone has come across similar objects
with such coatings and, if contemporary with manufacture, their
nature.

Chris Robinson
Senior Technician
Conservation Unit
De Montfort University Lincoln



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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:49
                 Distributed: Thursday, March 30, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-13-49-012
                                  ***