Artifacts in Action Virtual Lecture: Fish Skin Robe of the Amur River

Discover the ingenuity, artistry, and rich cultural traditions of the communities who have lived along Northeast Asia’s Amur River for generations.

Dr. Elisa Palomino Perez will share selected garments from the Penn Museum’s Amur River collections, examining the materials, craftsmanship, traditions, and knowledge embodied in these objects.

We will closely examine a remarkable fish skin robe made by the Nanai, Indigenous Peoples of Russia’s Far East. Crafted from materials found along the Amur River, the garment reflects the Nanai People’s extensive knowledge of and relationship with their environment. A digital reconstruction, developed in collaboration with Nanai artist Anatol Donkan and designer Ana Cordoba Crespo, offers a rare opportunity to experience the garment in vivid detail—from its original colors and intricate patterns to the craftsmanship of its construction and the way it might have been worn.

Look closely at this extraordinary garment and discover how the choice of material, techniques, and design reflect the Nanai People’s generations of knowledge and close relationship with the natural world that characterize the cultures of the Amur River region.