Pair of Earrings

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Culture Solomon Islands

Title Pair of Earrings

Date 20th century

Medium Tortoise shell, shell beads, seed pods, and and fiber

Dimensions Overall (a): 2 15/16 × 4 1/4 × 5/8 in. (7.5 × 10.8 × 1.6 cm)
Overall (b): 2 15/16 × 4 7/8 × 5/8 in. (7.5 × 12.4 × 1.6 cm)

Credit Line Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 72.43.6

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About this Work

Earrings were important objects used for personal adornment in the Solomon Islands for beautification and as a display of wealth. The piercing of the ears and the nasal septum were important and done at an early age for both men and women. Elaborate ceremonies were held for the piercing of the ears of a chief’s son.

Earrings were created from a range of materials, including turtle shell, shell beads, seedpods, and fiber. As with other arts from the Solomon Islands, birds and other natural forms are common motifs.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Pair of Earrings | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=72.43.6