Form and Function of Tridacna Shell Plaques from the Western Solomon Islands

Abstract

Openwork plaques made from tridacna clam shell constitute a significant art form from the Western Solomon Islands. Known facts are relatively few: the plaques were associated with burials and were sometimes used or referred to as a special form of “Custom Money.” Visual analysis of forty-two plaques or plaque fragments indicates that there are three groups separable on the basis of figure style, motifs, composition, and technical considerations such as the relative thickness of the plaques, surface finish, and the like. This article integrates known facts regarding function or use of the plaques with information about other clam shell artifacts from the same islands and with a detailed analysis of the plaques themselves so as to reconstruct something of the traditional cultural context and significance of these artifacts.