The Cemí and the Museum

Abstract

In 1792, three Taíno cemí were found by a surveyor in a cave in the mountains of southern Jamaica. By 1803, the cemí were displayed in London at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries by Isaac Alves Rebello. Almost two hundred years later, in 1977, the cemí were formally accessioned by the British Museum, however, they still bear the formal label, “Method of acquisition by BM currently unknown.” This article traces the movement of these cemí from Jamaica to London, adding new information to their provenance. However, it also asks what adding to this provenance means, and interrogates the implication of their possession by the British Museum, particularly considering their status as animate entities. What does it mean to add to an archive of death, and what does it mean for the museum to lay claim to gods?