1991.13.37

Wooden weaving sword. Undecorated except for a 70 mm section at the wider end. One face of this is decorated with an incised figure of a bird above a geometric motif, the other with wavy lines. [JC 4/10/2001]

Material of original: Wood Plant

max 9,00 mm; Width: max 37,00 mm; Length: max 920,00 mm

Keyword: Weaving Accessory

1

Date made: 1897

Africa -> Western Africa -> Nigeria, Benin City

PRM source: Dumas-Egerton Trust, Field collector: Benin City Punitive Expedition, Field collector: George le Clerc Egerton

When collected:

-> Edo

Acquired: 2001; Acquired: 1991, uncertain

Additional Pitt Rivers Museum documentation: : [Acquisition entry] Sent to the Museum on 1 October 2001 by Simon Dumas as an addition to the Dumas-Egerton collection (PRM 1991.13) on long-term loan to the Museum since 1991; see RDF for related correspondence. [JC 4/10/2001]; Documentation: : See RDF for lists and notes.

Research Notes: The Dumas-Egerton Collection, of which this is part, was examined by Hermione Waterfield of Christie's in 1984, and a document, dated 7th December 1984, was produced with the title 'Part of the Nigerian Art Collected by Admiral Sir George Le Cler[c] Egerton on the Benin Expedition of 1897 on Deposit at Maidstone Museum' (see RDF). The entry for this object reads: 'A Benin wood weaving sword (beater in), the rectangular finial carved in relief with a cockerel. 36 1/4 in. long.' [JC 16 1 2002 / 23 1 2002]

E

Class: Textile

Object

Related collection: Field diary and photocopy of relevant sections of the collector's personal diary in PRM MS collections.