Title 18 from the Pitt Rivers Museum History, 1884

Snapshots of the composition of the Museum in each decade 1880 - 1945

[article ID:191]

In both tables the figures in red mark those classes that constitute more than five per cent of the decade's acquisitions (table 1) or of the cumulative acquisitions (table 2). Class names in red in either table means that for each decade the class formed more than 5 per cent of the over total number of objects (cumulative or single decade).

In this table the collections is seen in 7 separate non-cumulative snapshots, ie

What percentage of the items acquired in the 1890s have been catalogued as Agricultural etc?

[article ID:192]

Classes	1880s	% *	1890s	%	1900s	%	1910s	%	1920s	%	1930s	%	1940 - 1945	%
Agriculture	88 **	0.3	117	0.7	199	1.1	208	0.8	298	0.9	319	0.7	145	0.6
Animalia	200	0.7	152	0.9	272	1.5	993	4.0	472	1.5	501	1.2	580	2.5
Animal Gear	307	1.2	146	0.9	167	0.9	203	0.8	219	0.7	149	0.3	137	0.5
Bag	257	1.0	176	1.1	304	1.7	227	0.9	206	0.6	457	1.0	117	0.5
Barkcloth	169	0.6	81	0.5	101	0.5	57	0.2	129	0.4	170	0.4	54	0.2
Basketry	728	2.8	322	2.0	589	3.3	327	1.3	835	2.6	849	1.9	586	2.5
Body Art	106	0.4	113	0.7	226	1.2	211	0.8	425	1.3	186	0.4	54	0.2
Box	398	1.5	410	2.5	257	1.4	373	1.5	399	1.2	1,452	3.4	1,356	5.8
Carving	50	0.1	27	0.1	7	0	7	0	2	0	29	0	12	0
Ceremonial	443	1.7	279	1.7	251	1.4	371	1.5	420	1.3	660	1.5	336	1.4
Children	172	0.6	174	1.0	312	1.7	201	0.8	206	0.6	234	0.5	177	0.7
Clothing	971	3.8	888	5.5	811	4.5	526	2.1	1,682	5.4	1,051	2.5	919	3.9
Commemoration	18	0	22	0.1	69	0.3	16	0	100	0.3	54	0.1	6	0
Cordage	574	2.2	128	0.8	119	0.6	62	0.2	147	0.4	180	0.4	34	0.1
Currency	367	1.4	733	4.5	170	0.9	332	1.3	1,428	4.5	560	1.3	412	1.7
Dance	90	0.3	159	0.9	129	0.7	149	0.6	217	0.6	271	0.6	105	0.4
Death	924	3.6	363	2.2	940	5.2	1,171	4.7	941	3.0	318	0.7	186	0.8
Dwelling	234	0.9	154	0.9	235	1.3	119	0.4	366	1.1	303	0.7	333	1.4
Fan	66	0.2	42	0.2	38	0.2	51	0.2	47	0.1	50	0.1	40	0.1
Figure	1,916	7.5	911	5.7	951	5.3	1,420	5.7	1,631	5.2	1,940	4.6	785	3.4
Fire	187	0.7	181	1.1	121	0.6	224	0.9	286	0.9	1,840	4.4	107	0.4
Fishing	794	3.1	242	1.5	308	1.7	334	1.3	467	1.5	325	0.7	182	0.8
Food	676	2.6	663	4.1	823	4.6	624	2.5	802	2.5	902	2.1	420	1.7
Furniture	149	0.5	106	0.6	119	0.6	80	0.3	175	0.5	183	0.4	251	1.0
Geology	135	0.5	167	1.0	219	1.2	465	1.8	131	0.4	560	1.3	1,238	5.3
Headhunting	5	0	20	0.1	7	0	11	0	199	0.6	46	0.1	2	0
Hunting	552	2.1	174	1.0	232	1.3	178	0.7	306	0.9	260	0.6	85	0.3
Insignia	107	0.4	86	0.5	89	0.5	161	0.6	69	0.2	188	0.4	194	0.8
Lighting	175	0.6	259	1.6	134	0.7	125	0.5	42	0.1	1,631	3.9	148	0.6
Lock	60	0.2	103	0.6	43	0.2	61	0.2	23	0	26	0	41	0.1
Marriage	15	0	21	0.1	29	0.1	25	0.1	35	0.1	114	0.2	54	0.2
Mask	133	0.5	51	0.3	27	0.1	44	0.1	26	0	198	0.4	46	0.1
Measurement	179	0.7	184	1.1	119	0.6	233	0.9	334	1.0	2,121	5.0	155	0.6
Medicine	96	0.3	203	1.2	372	2.0	302	1.2	295	0.9	346	0.8	160	0.6
Metallurgy	62	0.2	33	0.2	49	0.2	58	0.2	126	0.4	190	0.4	30	0.1
Model	607	2.4	345	2.1	262	1.4	205	0.8	248	0.7	306	0.7	333	1.4
Music	625	2.4	419	2.6	774	4.3	965	3.9	882	2.8	1,411	3.3	974	4.2
Narcotic	343	1.3	345	2.1	503	2.8	434	1.7	778	2.5	737	1.7	554	2.4
Navigation	538	2.1	183	1.1	187	1.0	104	0.4	139	0.4	155	0.3	92	0.3
Ornament & bead	2,386	9.4	2,663	16.6	2,821	15.8	2,479	10.0	4,607	14.8	2,888	6.9	3,497	15.1
Photograph	149	0.5	520	3.2	86	0.4	191	0.7	230	0.7	165	0.3	1,101	4.7
Physical Anthropology	503	1.9	82	0.5	84	0.4	317	1.2	96	0.3	113	0.2	67	0.2
Picture	149	0.5	251	1.5	577	3.2	327	1.3	232	0.7	166	0.3	672	2.9
Plant	315	1.2	169	1.0	276	1.5	426	1.7	270	0.8	598	1.4	377	1.6
Pottery	4,387	17.3	867	5.4	1,060	5.9	1,236	4.9	1,894	6.0	1,440	3.4	1,651	7.1
Punishment & Torture	52	0.2	27	0.1	27	0.1	38	0.1	29	0	43	0.1	37	0.1
Religion	2,063	8.1	1,949	12.2	2,820	15.8	3,307	13.3	2,201	7.0	1,853	4.4	938	4.0
Reproduction	132	0.5	687	4.3	155	0.8	418	1.7	224	0.7	142	0.3	479	2.0
Scientific Apparatus	1	0	2	0	8	0	4	0	4	0	7	0	0	0
Specimen	802	3.1	285	1.7	827	4.6	1,283	5.1	663	2.1	920	2.2	1,903	8.2
Sport	30	0.1	22	0.1	36	0	65	0.2	45	0.1	32	0	8	0
Status	165	0.6	140	0.8	229	1.2	154	0.6	1,467	4.7	352	0.8	432	1.8
Technique	111	0.4	136	0.8	247	1.3	598	2.4	674	2.1	402	0.9	822	3.5
Textile	522	2.0	425	2.6	419	2.3	963	3.8	1,706	5.4	525	1.2	1,195	5.1
Theatre	107	0.4	107	0.6	54	0.3	22	0	84	0.2	7	0	9	0
Time	8	0	20	0.1	16	0	35	0.1	18	0	26	0	70	0.3
Toilet	334	1.3	347	2.1	200	1.1	306	1.2	268	0.8	362	0.8	199	0.8
Toy & Game	832	3.2	1,403	8.7	913	5.1	1,431	5.7	291	0.9	569	1.3	208	0.9
Trade	101	0.4	659	4.1	254	1.4	249	1.0	681	2.1	612	1.4	241	1.0
Transport	317	1.2	118	0.7	189	1.0	130	0.5	420	1.3	208	0.4	179	0.7
Vessel	1,532	6.0	810	5.0	891	5.0	836	3.3	1,219	3.9	1,109	2.6	1,041	4.5
Writing	603	2.3	417	2.6	670	3.7	539	2.1	347	1.1	542	1.3	560	2.4
Definite Tool	4,072	16.1	2,408	15.0	3,929	22.1	9,164	37.0	10,166	32.6	21,177	50.8	6,783	29.4
Definite Weapon	3,902	15.4	2,286	14.3	3,226	18.1	2,946	11.9	4,226	13.5	3,387	8.1	2,046	8.8
Either tool or weapon	2,647	10.4	1,239	7.7	705	3.9	1,298	5.2	1,887	6.0	1,759	4.2	1,157	5.0
Total number of objects in the museum at the end of each decade	25,234	@	15,966		17,749		24,725		31,102		41,671		23,029

* - percentage of the total number of objects in the Pitt Rivers Museum at the end of each decade, acquired in that decade. Of course most objects are catalogued as more than one class so that the percentages could never add up to 100 per cent because of the double counting that is inherent in the table. Some double counting has been removed as part of the calculations (there is no double counting of ornaments and beads or of tools and weapons for example). See @ below

** each of these figures is the total number of each class acquired in that decade

@ To underscore the point about it not being possible to add up the percentages because each object has more than one class catalogued for it, the total of the percentages if added up for the 1880s is 153.9%!

The next table works out the cumulative totals for each class and at the end of each decade and works out the proportions so you can see the proportional growth of each class as against the cumulative total of objects in the Museum:

Table showing cumulative snapshots of the PRM collections, divided by class, at the end of each decade

[article ID:193]

Classes	up to end 1880s	%	up to end 1890s	%	up to end 1900s	%	up to end 1910s	%	up to end 1920s	%	up to end 1930s	%	up to end 1940 - 1945	%
Agriculture	88	0.3	205 ***	0.4	404	0.6	612	0.7	910	0.7	1,229	0.7	1,374	0.7
Animalia	200	0.7	352	0.8	624	1.0	1,617	1.9	2,089	1.8	2,590	1.6	3,170	1.7
Animal Gear	307	1.2	453	1.0	620	1.0	823	0.9	1,042	0.9	1,191	0.7	1,328	0.7
Bag	257	1.0	433	1.0	737	1.2	964	1.1	1,170	1.0	1,627	1.0	1,744	0.9
Barkcloth	169	0.6	250	0.6	351	0.5	408	0.4	537	0.4	707	0.4	761	0.4
Basketry	728	2.8	1,050	2.5	1,639	2.7	1,966	2.3	2,801	2.4	3,650	2.3	4,236	2.3
Body Art	106	0.4	219	0.5	445	0.7	656	0.7	1,081	0.9	1,267	0.8	1,321	0.7
Box	398	1.5	808	1.9	1,065	1.8	1,438	1.7	1,837	1.6	3,289	2.1	4,645	2.5
Carving	50	0.1	77	0.1	84	0.1	91	0.1	93	0	122	0	134	0
Ceremonial	443	1.7	722	1.7	973	1.6	1,344	1.6	1,764	1.5	2,424	1.5	2,760	1.5
Children	172	0.6	346	0.8	658	1.1	859	1.0	1,065	0.9	1,299	0.8	1,476	0.8
Clothing	971	3.8	1,859	4.5	2,670	4.5	3,196	3.8	4,878	4.2	5,929	3.7	6,848	3.8
Commemoration	18	0	40	0	109	0.1	125	0.1	225	0.1	279	0.1	285	0.1
Cordage	574	2.2	702	1.7	821	1.3	883	1.0	1,030	0.8	1,210	0.7	1,244	0.6
Currency	367	1.4	1,100	2.6	1,270	2.1	1,602	1.9	3,030	2.6	3,590	2.2	4,002	2.2
Dance	90	0.3	249	0.6	378	0.6	527	0.6	744	0.6	1,015	0.6	1,120	0.6
Death	924	3.6	1,287	3.1	2,227	3.7	3,398	4.0	4,339	3.7	4,657	2.9	4,843	2.6
Dwelling	234	0.9	388	0.9	623	1.0	742	0.8	1,108	0.9	1,411	0.9	1,744	0.9
Fan	66	0.2	108	0.2	146	0.2	197	2.3	244	0.2	294	0.1	334	0.1
Figure	1,916	7.5	2,827	6.8	3,778	6.4	5,198	6.2	6,829	5.9	8,769	5.6	9,554	5.3
Fire	187	0.7	368	0.8	489	0.8	713	0.8	999	0.8	2,839	1.8	2,946	1.6
Fishing	794	3.1	1,036	2.5	1,344	2.2	1,678	2.0	2,145	1.8	2,470	1.5	2,652	1.4
Food	676	2.6	1,339	3.2	2,162	3.6	2,786	3.3	3,588	3.1	4,490	2.8	4,910	2.7
Furniture	149	0.5	255	0.6	374	0.6	454	0.5	629	0.5	812	0.5	1,063	0.5
Geology	135	0.5	302	0.7	521	0.8	986	1.1	1,117	0.9	1,677	1.0	2,915	1.6
Headhunting	5	0	25	0	32	0	43	0	242	0.2	288	0.1	290	0.1
Hunting	552	2.1	726	1.7	958	1.7	1,136	1.3	1,442	1.2	1,702	1.0	1,787	0.9
Insignia	107	0.4	193	0.4	282	0.4	443	0.5	512	0.4	700	0.4	894	0.4
Lighting	175	0.6	434	1.0	568	0.9	693	0.8	735	0.6	2,366	1.5	2,514	1.4
Lock	60	0.2	163	0.3	206	0.3	267	0.3	290	0.2	316	0.2	357	0.1
Marriage	15	0	36	0	65	0.1	90	0.1	125	0.1	239	0.1	293	0.1
Mask	133	0.5	184	0.4	211	0.3	255	0.3	281	0.2	479	0.3	525	0.2
Measurement	179	0.7	363	0.8	482	0.8	715	0.8	1,049	0.9	3,170	2.0	3,325	1.8
Medicine	96	0.3	299	0.7	671	1.1	973	1.1	1,268	1.1	1,614	1.0	1,774	0.9
Metallurgy	62	0.2	95	0.2	144	0.2	202	0.2	328	0.2	518	0.3	548	0.3
Model	607	2.4	952	2.3	1,214	2.0	1,419	1.6	1,667	1.4	1,973	1.2	2,306	1.2
Music	625	2.4	1,044	2.5	1,818	3.0	2,783	3.3	3,665	3.1	5,076	3.2	6,050	3.3
Narcotic	343	1.3	688	1.6	1,191	2.0	1,625	1.9	2,403	2.0	3,140	2.0	3,694	2.0
Navigation	538	2.1	721	1.7	908	1.6	1,012	1.2	1,151	1.0	1,306	0.8	1,398	0.7
Ornament & bead	2,386	9.4	5,049	12.2	7,870	13.3	10,349	12.3	14,956	13.0	17,844	11.4	21,341	11.8
Photograph	149	0.5	669	1.6	755	1.2	946	1.1	1,176	1.0	1,341	0.8	2,442	1.3
Physical Anthropology	503	1.9	585	1.4	669	1.1	986	1.1	1,082	0.9	1,195	0.7	1,262	0.7
Picture	149	0.5	400	0.9	977	1.6	1,304	1.5	1,536	1.3	1,702	1.0	2,374	1.3
Plant	315	1.2	484	1.1	760	1.2	1,186	1.4	1,456	1.2	2,054	1.3	2,431	1.3
Pottery	4,387	17.3	5,254	12.7	6,314	10.7	7,550	9.0	9,444	8.2	10,884	6.9	12,535	6.9
Punishment & Torture	52	0.2	79	0.1	106	0.1	144	0.1	173	0.1	216	0.1	253	0
Religion	2,063	8.1	4,012	9.7	6,832	11.5	10,139	12.1	12,340	10.7	14,193	9.0	15,131	8.4
Reproduction	132	0.5	819	1.9	974	1.6	1,392	1.6	1,616	1.4	1,758	1.1	2,237	1.2
Scientific Apparatus	1	0	3	0	11	0	15	0	19	0	26	0	26	0
Specimen	802	3.1	1,087	2.6	1,914	3.2	3,197	3.8	3,860	3.3	4,780	3.0	6,683	3.7
Sport	30	0.1	52	0.1	88	0.1	153	0.1	198	0.1	230	0.1	238	0
Status	165	0.6	305	0.7	534	0.9	688	0.8	2,155	1.8	2,507	1.6	2,939	1.6
Technique	111	0.4	247	0.5	494	0.8	1,092	1.3	1,766	1.5	2,168	1.3	2,990	1.6
Textile	522	2.0	947	2.2	1,366	2.3	2,329	2.7	4,035	3.5	4,560	2.9	5,755	3.2
Theatre	107	0.4	214	0.5	268	0.4	290	0.3	374	0.3	381	0.2	390	0.2
Time	8	0	28	0	44	0	79	0	97	0	123	0	193	0
Toilet	334	1.3	681	1.6	881	1.4	1,187	1.4	1,455	1.2	1,817	1.1	2,016	1.1
Toy & Game	832	3.2	2,235	5.4	3,148	5.3	4,579	5.4	4,870	4.2	5,439	3.4	5,647	3.1
Trade	101	0.4	760	1.8	1,014	1.7	1,263	1.5	1,944	1.6	2,556	1.6	2,797	1.5
Transport	317	1.2	435	1.0	624	1.0	754	0.9	1,174	1.0	1,382	0.8	1,561	0.8
Vessel	1,532	6.0	2,342	5.6	3,233	5.4	4,069	4.8	5,288	4.6	6,397	4.0	7,438	4.1
Writing	603	2.3	1020	2.4	1,690	2.8	2,229	2.6	2,576	2.2	3,118	1.9	3,678	2.0
Definite Tool	4,072	16.1	6,480	15.7	10,409	17.6	19,573	23.3	29,739	25.9	50,916	32.5	57,699	32.1
Definite Weapon	3,902	15.4	6,188	15.0	9,414	15.9	12,360	14.7	16,586	14.4	19,973	12.7	22,019	12.2
Either tool or weapon	2,647	10.4	3,886	9.4	4,591	7.7	5,889	7.0	7,776	6.7	9,535	6.0	10,692	5.9
Cumulative total number of objects in the museum at the end of each decade	25,234		41,200		58,949		83,674		114,776		156,447		179,476

*** ie all these columns are cumulative adding 1880 to 1890 figure to 1900 etc.