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Social and Behavioral Sciences
Pacific Island; Pacific Island culture; historical collections; Rhode Island; Museum of Natural History; Roger Williams Park; Providence; Polynesia; Melanesia; Micronesia; Pacific Island artifacts; Park Museum; Pacific Island studies;
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A Pacific Island Collection In Rhode Island, Terence Hays, Mary Conaway, Susan Yeaw
A Pacific Island Collection In Rhode Island, Terence Hays, Mary Conaway, Susan Yeaw
Terence Hays
Collections of artifacts and specimens from Pacific Island cultures are found throughout Rhode Island. The largest and most systematically collected is in the Museum of Natural History in Roger Williams Park, Providence. The items were acquired by Rhode Island citizens over about a 150 year period from the early 1800's to the 1950's. They are from the 3 culture areas of the Pacific: Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia. All form of matter including wood, shell, fiber, bone and skin, ivory, pottery, stone, and human hair are part of the artifact assemblage. The specimens (not studied for this project) include birds, lava, …