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Muslim Collections at Museum Victoria
Image: Loading Wool Bales on a Camel
Source: Museum Victoria
Muslim-related material has been collected by Museum Victoria from the late 19th century, albeit in very small numbers. Amongst the earliest acquisitions were two 'Mohammedan' clay figures from India that were exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. Later, numismatics acquisitions considerably increased the Muslim-related collections.
Following the formal establishment of the Social History Department in 1986, an Immigration and Cultural Diversity Collection was established in 1990. The collection aimed to document the diverse ethnicities, nationalities and races of the Victorian population and their impact on Victoria's history and development. It particularly focused on the immigration and settlement experience of Victorians. It did not identify Islam as a specific focus for collection development.
In 2004 the Immigration and Cultural Diversity Collection became the Migration Collection and the Cultural Diversity Cross-collection. At that time, short-comings in collection holdings relating to religion were identified. Further research was required to identify which objects, images and documents might record the Muslim experience and culture. In 2009, a study project identified 152 images and a small number of objects such as documents, weapons and textiles were identified, as well as 1074 numismatics objects, mostly currency from Muslim countries. Many required further research to improve documentation; further work is required to identify additional material in the History & Technology and Indigenous Cultures collections.References:
Pamela Koehne-Drube, 2009. 'Museum Victoria: Muslim Collection'. Student Project, Public History, Monash University
Deborah Tout-Smith, 2005. 'Cultural Diversity Collection Plan', History & Technology Department, Museum Victoria.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 41 - 50) 51 items
Horse Brass depicting a religious scene with two people either side of a man riding a camel. It is made of cast brass, which was not used until 1825. The crescent border is one of the ...Images: 1
Alternative Names: Poonah Figure, Poona Figure This clay figure of a Muslim cloth seller was made in Pune, India. It was exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880, as ...From: Pune, India Images: 5
Alternative Names: Poonah Figure, Poona Figure This clay figure of a Muslim Gentleman was made in Pune, India. It was exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880, as p ...From: Pune, India Images: 5
The Mardie and Onslow camel train, three camels wide and four deep, pulling a fully laden wagon with a building visible slightly to the right. The image is dated 1913. The camels and ...From: Onslow, Australia Images: 1
Two camels from the Mardie and Onslow camel train yoked to a fully loaded wagon, dated 1913. The camels and their cameleers helped carry supplies inland for the mining and sheep indust ...Images: 1
Two men leading the Mardie and Onslow camel train past train tracks, dated to 1913. The camels and their cameleers helped carry supplies inland for the mining and sheep industries, aid ...Images: 1
Decorated shop fronts in Ballarat. The awning over "Boyd's Modern(?) Store" (text partially obscured by a hanging sign) displays a man leading a camel. Part of the celebrations for the ...From: Ballarat, Australia Images: 1
An image of a man ploughing a field with an Egyptian Plough. The Plough is pulled by the combination of a camel and a donkey. circa 1925. In Egypt, the Nile Floods deposit nutrients o ...Images: 1
Small photograph of a soldier astride a camel. The photograph was taken in Egypt, and is part of a collection of photographs belonging to Alfred Galbraith. Sapper Galbraith was in Egy ...Images: 1
Small photograph of four women wearing Muslim dress. The woman on the left has her arms and face exposed but the other three have their bodies and faces covered. The photograph is part ...From: Cairo, Egypt Images: 1