Paranarium nut paste

I am conducting research at the Brooklyn Museum of Art on Oceanic
material from Malakula, Vanuatu, Melanesia and am particularly
interested in a vegetable paste, sometimes referred to as paranarium
nut paste in the literature, that is utilized  as an over-modelling
material in the fabrication of many objects from this region.  Has
anyone analyzed this material?  I hope to do some compositional
analysis and would also like to find a reference sample from the
tree.  Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Karen Abend

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:51
                Distributed: Tuesday, December 15, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-12-51-027
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