Catalogue card: Stave (Izuku of Oga), highly carved with puzzle-carving, culminating in elaborate human figure holding snake
Labelled 'Thomas Colln, S. Nigeria 1910-13, 2222.308'
Carved wooden staff with central rattle section and seated figure above this. The figure is wearing a conical hat, has long braids of hair at the rear, scarification marks on the face and body, and is holding a snake in one hand and an orb in the other. The rattle section is incised with geometric patterns and has three slits in it through which the rattle can be seen.
Carved wooden staff with central rattle section and seated figure above this. The figure is wearing a conical hat, has long braids of hair at the rear, scarification marks on the face and body, and is holding a snake in one hand and an orb in the other. The rattle section is incised with geometric patterns and has three slits in it through which the rattle can be seen.
Object not yet checked, but the 308 may refer to the 1st Thomas Catalogue which notes "Izuku og Oga". [R.Hand]
'[Object now checked and this has been verified. Katrina Dring, 28/09/2018]'
During the collections-based phase of the Museum Affordances Project 2018, photographs of some of these rattle staffs were shared on the project Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/reentanglements/).
In a comment on 01/10/2018, Adenike Cosgrove wrote: ' This looks to be an Edo ukhurhe rattle staff. You can read more about them here: https://www.imodara.com/.../nigeria-edo-ukhurhe-rattle.../'
These staffs (Z 20317 - Z 20342) appear to have been carved by the same hand, or in the same workshop and were collected by N.W. Thomas as a group. They are listed in Thomas' 1st catalogue (Doc.413) as entries 308-335, which are situated at the very back of the catalogue.
Other/1
A selection of rattle staff collected by Northcote Thomas are shown together in Image 390447.