124-A15-5

Displaying 1 - 12 of 12
Catalog # Name Description
1 00.55.1.1 Basket Basket lined with cowrie shells. The cowrie shell is a globally recognized object. Cowrie shells have been historically used as currency, jewelry, and religious accessories. In Ancient Africa, these shells were highly regarded as symbolizing the strength of the ocean as well as the power of destiny and prosperity. In some African cultures, the cowrie shell was regarded as a symbol of fertility. Waistbands with cowrie shells were worn with hopes of increasing fertility. African cultures used cowries as currency from the 15th century into the early 1940’s. Their usage at this point was discouraged and outlawed but they continued to be used for bride price payment, accumulated in bags and given to the bride’s father during their ceremony. The basket in our collection remains very clean, with the white cowrie shells each sewn onto the leather. This indicates that this basket was not as much for functional use as it was a decoration or symbolic item for protection, strength, and fertility. Source: Onyioha, Amaka N. Afrostyle Magazine. Accessed October 13, 2020. http://www.afrostylemag.com/ASM11/significance_of_cowrie_shells.php. 00.55.1.1 (Basket) image
2 1968.10.123 Rope Rope made from plant fibers and tied together. 1968.10.123 (Rope) image
3 1968.10.124 Rope Rope made from plant fibers and braided. Rope it tied together in a bundle. 1968.10.124 (Rope) image
4 1978.46.1 Comb Silver-gray metal stick, pointed at one end for combing, hammered flat at other end for spreading unguents. Color: GY
5 1978.46.2 Comb Silver-gray metal stick, pointed at one end for combing, hammered flat at other end for spreading unguents. Color: GY
6 1978.46.28 Frontlet Frontlets. Brown leather band, adjustable slip knot, four decorative leather squares (two large, two small) suspended from band. Dyed decorative black designs, woven tan and green fiber design and leather fringe on end tail. 1978.46.28 (Frontlet) image
7 1978.46.3 Knife Two parts. a. Boy's hunting knife, dark brown leather wrapped handle, metal band on hilt, tapered metal blade, rounded at point, blade dyed black at center. b. Scabbard, dark brown leather, three green fiber bands at top, tooled design on center, wrapped with leather thong at tip. Color: BR
8 1978.46.4 Knife Two parts. a. Boy's hunting knife, dark brown leather wrapped handle, metal band on hilt, tapered metal blade, round at point, blade dyed black at center. b. Scabbard, dark brown leather, three green fiber bands at top, tooled design on center, wrapped with leather thong at tip. Color: BR
9 1978.46.5 Knife Two parts. a. Knife, man's hunting, black leather handle, brown leather band at handle base, metal band at hilt, tapered metal blade, round at tip badly rusted, pitted. b. Scabbard, brown tooled leather, loop at top to attach to belt, knotted strap to secure knife, four vertical green fiber bands at top; two horizontal green, one brown band below, wrapped with tan leather thong at tip, rounded tip. Color: BR,TN
10 1978.46.6 Knife Two parts. a. Grass cutting knife (machete type), sewn dark brown leather handle, white leather stitching on top, brown leather band at top, single edged metal blade, razor sharp edge. b. Scabbard, light brown leather, tooled and dyed design on center, to secure knife, three sections of woven white fiber bands at top, leather fringe at sides and tip, dyed design at top, sturdy leather work. Color: BR,WH
11 2009.2.42 Knife a. Double-bladed straight knife with handmade steel blade. Hilt is made of brass and copper metals. Center portion of hilt is finely etched with lines in intricate patterns. The bottom handle part is tubular brass with flat brass bars boxed around the hilt. b. Metal sheath for blade. Brass with copper overlay. Fine lines etched in elaborate patterns on the copper. C. Clip to lock sheath on to knife. Bar shaped with a handle. Color: BR, SL, GD
12 2010.17.18 Spearhead small carved/etched spearhead held in place by a small piece of wood connected to bottom half, notches in the spear that appear as striations