Stilt Footrest
Unknown Artist
early 1800s
Medium
wood
Dimensions
40 × 7.7 × 11.8 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Oceania
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Klejman
Accession Number
1970.114
About this artwork
Stilt walking and knockdown stilt contests were favorite forms of amusement and competition on the Marquesas Islands. The decorated footrest was secured to a six-foot stilt pole by wrapping sennit fiber cord through a wide slit at the carved figure's back and around the pointed end. Champion stilt walkers competed with those from other tribes during great festivals. Special artists carved the footrests from hardwood and cured them in the mud of a taro patch.