Portrait of a Lhota warrior in full dress

B&W photographic print. 'A Lotha (Lhota) warrior in full dress. He wears a "sweat-wig" of bear's fur and two hornbill feathers, showing he has participated in two head-taking ceremonies. Hanging down his back is the skull of the Great Indian Hornbill, symbolic of wealth, showing that he has unde...

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Date(s) of creation: June 1919
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
URL: http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004485
URL Description: Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections

collection SOAS Archive
id PP_MS_58.02.G.11
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber PP MS 58/02/G/11
callnumber_txt PP MS 58/02/G/11
callnumber-sort PP MS 58/02/G/11
prefix_number 11
title Portrait of a Lhota warrior in full dress
scb_date_creation June 1919
scb_level Item
level_sort 8/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File/Item
scb_extent 1 photograph
author Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
author_facet Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
authorStr Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
author_letter Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
format Archive
description B&W photographic print. 'A Lotha (Lhota) warrior in full dress. He wears a "sweat-wig" of bear's fur and two hornbill feathers, showing he has participated in two head-taking ceremonies. Hanging down his back is the skull of the Great Indian Hornbill, symbolic of wealth, showing that he has undertaken a stone dragging ceremony. Worn on the hip, supported by two hair fringed baldricks across the chest, is the panji basket and great curved "tail", which has a long fringe of human hair. Panjis are sharpened bamboo spikes stuck in the ground to deter pursuit. Slung across his chest is the "enemy's teeth", a flat piece of wood covered with plaited red cane, cowrie shells representing teeth and a fringe of red hair symbolising blood pouring out of the victim's mouth. His broad apron is covered with rows of cowrie shells, as are his hair fringed wristlets. He carries a dao, and a spear ornamented with goat's hair.'
scb_access_status Open
scb_copyright Copyright held by J.P. Mills
language No linguistic content
language_search No linguistic content
scb_scripts_material Unwritten
scb_physc_charac_tech_reqs 9.5 x 7 cm
note Warriors
Wigs
Machetes
Head-hunting
Headhunters
Naga (South Asian people)
Ethnic group: Naga
Ethnic group: Lotha Naga
Yanthamo is alternatively known as Yamhung Ghat and Yanasao
scb_url http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004485
scb_url_description Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections
hierarchy_top_id_raw PP MS 58
hierarchy_sequence PP_MS_58.0002.00G.0011