Pitt Rivers Museum - University of Oxford
Materials Thesaurus
This is the list of materials from which objects are made used by the Pitt Rivers Museum in its artefact databases. You will note that the list can be searched at a number of levels, firstly for things like Plant or Animal to get the most generic search, then for more specific types of materials:
Abrus Precatorius Seed Plant
Acrylic Paint Synthetic
Agate Stone
Agave Fibre Plant
Agave Fibre Textile Plant
Agave Fibre Yarn Plant
Alabaster Stone
Alligator Skin Reptile
Alpaca Wool Camelid Textile Animal
Alpaca Wool Camelid Yarn Animal
Aluminium Metal
Aluminium Foil Metal
Amber
Ambergris Animal
Amethyst Stone
Animal
Animal Antler
Animal Bladder
Animal Bone
Animal Claw
Animal Dung
Animal Fat
Animal Fur Skin
Animal Gut
Animal Hair
Animal Hair Textile
Animal Hair Yarn
Animal Hide Skin
Animal Hoof
Animal Horn
Animal Intestine
Animal Ivory Tooth
Animal Leather Skin
Animal Membrane
Animal Part
Animal Quill
Animal Rawhide Skin
Animal Sinew
Animal Skin
Animal Skull
Animal Tail
Animal Tooth
Antelope Bone Animal
Antelope Hide Skin Animal
Antelope Hoof Animal
Antelope Horn Animal
Antelope Skin Animal
Antelope Tail Animal
Argillite Stone
Ash Wood Plant
Bakelite Synthetic
Baleen Whale Animal
Bamboo Plant
Bamboo Root Plant
Bamboo Spathe Plant
Banana Leaf Plant
Banana Seed Plant
Banana Wood Plant
Bark Cloth Textile Plant
Bark Fibre Plant
Bark Fibre Yarn Plant
Bark Wood Plant
Basalt Stone
Bast Fibre Bark Plant
Bast Fibre Textile Bark Plant
Bast Fibre Yarn Bark Plant
Bead
Bean Seed Plant
Bear Bone Animal
Bear Skin Animal
Bear Tooth Animal
Beech Wood Plant
Beetle Insect
Bell Metal
Birch Bark Wood Plant
Birch Root Plant
Birch Wood Plant
Bird
Bird Beak
Bird Bone
Bird Claw
Bird Egg
Bird Eggshell
Bird Feather
Bird Nest
Bird Part
Bird Quill
Bird Skin
Bird Sinew
Bison Cattle Hair Animal
Bison Cattle Hair Textile Animal
Bison Cattle Hair Yarn Animal
Blood
Boar Tooth Animal
Bone
Box Wood Plant
Brass Metal
Bread Foodstuff
Bronze Metal
Bronze Gilt Metal
Buck Skin Animal
Buffalo Cattle Hair Animal
Buffalo Cattle Horn Animal
Buffalo Cattle Skin Animal
Calcrete Stone
Camel Hide Skin Animal
Camelid Wool Textile Animal
Camelid Wool Yarn Animal
Cane Plant
Canvas Textile
Caoutchouc Rubber Plant
Cardboard Paper Plant
Caribou Antler Animal
Caribou Bone Animal
Caribou Hair Animal
Caribou Hair Textile Animal
Caribou Hair Yarn Animal
Caribou Sinew Animal
Caribou Skin Animal
Caribou Tooth Animal
Cassowary Bone Bird
Cassowary Feather Bird
Cassowary Feather Quill Bird
Cat Bone Animal
Cat Claw Animal
Cat Skin Animal
Cat Tail Animal
Cat Tooth Animal
Catlinite Stone
Cattle Bone Animal
Cattle Dung Animal
Cattle Hair Animal
Cattle Hoof Animal
Cattle Horn Animal
Cattle Skin Animal
Cattle Tooth Animal
Cedar Bark Fibre Plant
Cedar Bark Fibre Textile Plant
Cedar Bark Fibre Yarn Plant
Cedar Bark Wood Plant
Cedar Wood Plant
Cellophane Synthetic
Celluloid Synthetic
Chalcedony Stone
Chalk Stone
Charcoal
Chert Stone
Clam Shell
Claw
Clay
Coal Mineral
Cockspur Bird
Coconut Plant
Coconut Fibre Plant
Coconut Fibre Textile Plant
Coconut Fibre Yarn Plant
Coconut Husk Plant
Coconut Leaf Plant
Coix Seed Plant
Conch Shell
Conifer Root Plant
Conus Shell
Copper Metal
Copper Alloy Metal
Copper Ore Metal
Coral
Corduroy Textile
Cork Plant
Corn Plant
Corn Husk Plant
Cornelian Stone
Cotton Textile Plant
Cotton Yarn Plant
Cottonwool Fibre Plant
Cottonwood Wood Plant
Cowrie Shell
Crayon
Creeper Plant
Crêpe Paper Plant
Crocodile Skin Reptile
Crocodile Tooth Reptile
Crustacean-Shell Animal
Crystal Stone
Damask Textile
Deer Antler Animal
Deer Bone Animal
Deer Hoof Animal
Deer Skin Animal
Deer Tooth Animal
Dentalium Shell
Diabase Stone
Diamond Stone
Diorite Stone
Dog Bone Animal
Dog Hair Animal
Dog Hair Textile Animal
Dog Hair Yarn Animal
Dog Tooth Animal
Dolphin Tooth Animal
Dough
Dust
Earth
Ebony Wood Plant
Eggshell
Elephant Bone Animal
Elephant Hair Animal
Elephant Hair Textile Animal
Elephant Hair Yarn Animal
Elephant Nail Animal
Elephant Skin Animal
Elephant Tail Animal
Elephant Tooth Ivory Animal
Elk Horn Animal
Elm Bark Wood Plant
Emu Feather Bird
Enamel
Faience Pottery
Fat Oil
Feldspar Stone
Felt Wool Textile Animal
Fern Plant
Fibreglass Synthetic
Fimo Synthetic
Fir Wood Plant
Fish
Fish Bone
Fish Otolith Bone
Fish Palate Bone
Fish Skin
Flax Yarn Plant
Flax (NZ) Plant
Flint Stone
Flour
Foil Metal
Foodstuff
Fossil
Fungus Plant
Galleta Grass Plant
Garnet Stone
Gilt Metal
Giraffe Hair Animal
Giraffe Hair Textile Animal
Giraffe Hair Yarn Animal
Giraffe Skin Animal
Glass
Glue
Glue Animal
Gneiss Stone
Goat Hair Animal
Goat Hair Textile Animal
Goat Hair Yarn Animal
Goat Horn Animal
Goat Skin Animal
Gold Metal
Gold Foil Metal
Gorgonia Coral
Gourd Plant
Granite Stone
Grass Fibre Plant
Grass Fibre Textile Plant
Grass Fibre Yarn Plant
Grass Stem Plant
Grit Stone
Gunpowder
Gutta-Percha Plant
Haematite Stone
Hair
Haliotis Shell
Hazel Wood Plant
Hemp Plant
Hemp Textile Plant
Hemp Yarn Plant
Hickory Wood Plant
Hippo Ivory Tooth Animal
Hippo Skin Animal
Honey
Honeysuckle Wood Plant
Hornbill Beak Bird
Horse Bone Animal
Horse Hair Animal
Horse Hair Textile Animal
Horse Hair Yarn Animal
Horse Hoof Animal
Horse Skin Animal
Horse Tooth Animal
Human Body Part
Human Bone
Human Dung
Human Hair
Human Hair Textile
Human Hair Yarn
Human Skin
Human Tooth
Husk Plant
Ink
Insect
Insect Case
Insect Cocoon
Insect Egg
Iron Metal
Iron Ore Metal
?Jade Stone
Jadeite Stone
Jaguar Bone Animal
Jaguar Tooth Animal
Jasper Stone
Jet
Kangaroo Bone Animal
Kangaroo Tooth Animal
Kaolin Clay
Kapok Textile Plant
Kingfisher Bird Feather
Lac Insect Lacquer Varnish
Lace Textile
Lace Bark Wood Plant
Lacquer Varnish
Lacquer Varnish Plant
Lacquer Varnish Synthetic
Lapis-lazuli Stone
Laterite Stone
Lava Stone
Lead Metal
Lead Foil Metal
Lime
Limestone Stone
Linen Textile Plant
Lizard Skin Reptile
Llama Wool Camelid Textile Animal
Llama Wool Camelid Yarn Animal
Madreporite Coral
Mahogany Wood Plant
Maidenhair Fern Plant
Maize Leaf Plant
Maize Plant
Malachite Stone
Mammoth Ivory Tooth Animal
Maple Wood Plant
Marble Stone
Martynia Plant
Mastic Resin Plant
Meerschaum Stone
Membrane
Mercury Metal
Metal
Metal Wire
Mica Stone
Milkweed Plant
Mineral
Mirror Glass
Mirror Metal
Mohair Wool Textile Animal
Mohair Wool Yarn Animal
Mollusc-Shell Animal
Monitor Lizard Skin Reptile
Monkey Bone Animal
Monkey Hair Animal
Monkey Skin Animal
Monkey Tooth Animal
Moose Hair Animal
Moose Hair Textile Animal
Moose Hair Yarn Animal
Moose Hide Skin Animal
Moose Horn Animal
Moss Plant
Mother of Pearl Shell
Mulberry Bark Plant
Mulberry Leaf Plant
Musk Ox Horn Animal
Muslin Textile
Mussel Shell
Narwhal Ivory Tooth Animal
Nephrite Stone
Net Textile
Nettle Fibre Plant
Nettle Fibre Textile Plant
Nettle Fibre Yarn Plant
Nickel Metal
Nylon Synthetic
Nylon Textile Synthetic
Nylon Yarn Synthetic
Oak Wood Plant
Obsidian Stone
Ochre
Oil Fat
Oil Paint
Oilskin Textile
Olive Wood Plant
Onyx Stone
Orchid Stem Plant
Ostrich Bone Bird
Ostrich Eggshell Bird
Ostrich Feather Bird
Otter Skin Animal
Oyster Shell
Palm Fibre Plant
Palm Fibre Textile Plant
Palm Fibre Yarn Plant
Palm Leaf Plant
Palm Nut Plant
Palm Spathe Leaf Plant
Palm Wood Plant
Pandanus Plant
Paper Plant
Papier-Mâché Paper Plant
Papyrus Plant
Parchment Skin Animal
Paste Glass
Peacock Feather Bird
Pearl
Pearl Shell
Pencil
Pewter Metal
Pig Bone Animal
Pig Skin Animal
Pig Tooth Animal
Pigment
Pine Needle Plant
Pine Wood Plant
Pitch
Plant
Plant Bulb
Plant Fibre
Plant Fibre Textile
Plant Fibre Yarn
Plant Flower
Plant Fruit
Plant Fruit Husk
Plant Leaf
Plant Membrane
Plant Nut
Plant Nut-husk
Plant Nut-shell
Plant Pith
Plant Root
Plant Sap
Plant Seed
Plant Seed Capsule
Plant Spathe
Plant Stem
Plant Thorn
Plaster
Plastic Synthetic
Poison
Polycarbonate Synthetic
Polyester Textile Synthetic
Polyester Yarn Synthetic
Porcelain Pottery
Porcupine Quill Animal
Porphyry Stone
Potato Starch Plant
Pottery
Pteropus Bone Animal
Pteropus Hair Animal
Pteropus Hair Textile Animal
Pteropus Hair Yarn Animal
Pteropus Tooth Animal
Puffin Beak Bird
Pumice Stone
Pyrite Stone
Quartz Stone
Quartz (Smoky) Stone
Quartzite Stone
Quill
Rabbit-Brush Animal
Raffia Leaf Plant
Rattan Fibre Plant
Redbud Plant
Reed Plant
Reindeer Antler Animal
Reindeer Bone Animal
Reindeer Sinew Animal
Reindeer Skin Animal
Reindeer Tooth Animal
Reptile
Reptile Bone
Reptile Claw
Reptile Eggshell
Reptile Sinew
Reptile Skin
Resin Plant
Rhino Horn Animal
Rhino Skin Animal
Ribbon Textile
Rice Plant
Rice Paper Plant
Rice Starch Plant
Rope
Rope Plant
Rope Synthetic
Rose Wood Plant
Rubber Plant
Ruby Stone
Rush Fibre Plant
Rush Fibre Textile Plant
Rush Fibre Yarn Plant
Rye Grass Plant
Sago Palm Fibre Plant
Sago Palm Fibre Textile Plant
Sago Palm Fibre Yarn Plant
Sago Palm Leaf Plant
Sago Palm Spathe Leaf Plant
Salt Mineral
Sand
Sandstone Stone
Satin Textile
Sawfish Bone Fish
Sawfish Tooth Fish
Schist Stone
Sea Urchin Shell
Seal Intestine Animal
Seal Skin Animal
Seal Tooth Animal
Seaweed Plant
Selenite Stone
Sennit Coconut Fibre Plant
Sennit Coconut Fibre Textile Plant
Sennit Coconut Fibre Yarn Plant
Sequin
Serpentine Stone
Shagreen Skin Fish
Shark Skin Fish
Shark Tooth Fish
Sheep Bone Animal
Sheep Hair (Wool) Animal
Sheep Horn Animal
Sheep Skin Animal
Shell
Silica
Silk Textile Animal
Silk Yarn Animal
Silver Metal
Silver Foil Metal
Silver Gilt Metal
Sinew
Sisal Fibre Plant
Sisal Fibre Textile Plant
Sisal Fibre Yarn Plant
Skin
Slag Metal
Slate Stone
Snail-Shell Animal
Snake Bone Reptile
Snake Skin Reptile
Snake Tooth Reptile
Spider Membrane
Spider Web
Spruce Root Plant
Spruce Wood Plant
Steatite Stone
Steel Metal
Stingray Skin Fish
Stingray Spine Fish
Stone
Straw Fibre Plant
String
String Plant
String Synthetic
Sugar Plant
Sulphur
Sumac Wood Plant
Swansdown Feather Bird
Swan Skin Bird
Sweetgrass Fibre Plant
Sweetgrass Fibre Textile Plant
Sweetgrass Fibre Yarn Plant
Sycamore Wood Plant
Synthetic
Synthetic Textile
Synthetic Yarn
Talc
Tamarind Seed Plant
Tea Plant
Teak Wood Plant
Tephrite Stone
Terracotta Clay
Textile
Tin Metal
Tin Foil Metal
Tin Ore Metal
Tinsel Metal
Tobacco Plant
Tooth
Tortoiseshell Reptile
Tortoise Carapace Reptile
Trachyte Stone
Tree-Fern Plant
Tridacna Clam Shell
Turquoise Stone
Turtle Bone Reptile
Turtleshell Reptile
Varnish
Varnish Plant
Varnish Synthetic
Vegetable Ivory Plant
Velvet Textile
Wallaby Bone Animal
Walnut Wood Plant
Walrus Intestine Animal
Walrus Ivory Tooth Animal
Walrus Skin Animal
Watercolour Paint
Wax
Whale Bone Animal
Whale Intestine Animal
Whale Skin Animal
Whale Tooth Animal
Willow Wood Plant
Willow Bark Wood Plant
Wood Plant
Wool Textile Animal
Wool Yarn Animal
Yak Cattle Hair Animal
Yak Cattle Hair Textile Animal
Yak Cattle Hair Yarn Animal
Yarn
Yarn Metallic
Yew Wood Plant
Yucca Leaf Plant
Yucca Fibre Plant
Yucca Fibre Textile Plant
Yucca Fibre Yarn Plant
Zebra Skin Animal
Zinc Metal
©2001 Pitt Rivers Museum - University of Oxford
The Museum acknowledges the work of MDA in converting this resource for use on the Web.
