Sword composed of coins: iron shaft covered by coins, which are stacked on hilt with blade formed of coins in two rows, bound together by red, green, and yellow cordage; pendant coin ornaments; length: 47 cm. Hung on the curtains of a cot to protect newborn babies from the thoutzu kuei — the spirits of women who had died without children and who tried to steal infants.
Donor:
Mrs. Jeremiah Schoenfeld
Collection place:
China
Culture or time period:
Chinese
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Coins (money)
Function:
5.2 Magic: Objects Associated with Practices reflecting confidence in the ability to manipulate supernatural agencies and 7.5 Issued Currency and Associated Containers