H x W x D: 21 x 1.9 x 1.9 cm (8 1/4 x 3/4 x 3/4 in.)
Type:
Sculpture
Geography:
South Africa
Date:
Early to mid-20th century
Label Text:
Zulu snuff spoons are frequently carved from the rib bone of an ox or cow. Incised and punched designs were blackened with fat and ash and with red pigment. These spoons were used to take snuff from a container or to remove sweat from the brow.
Description:
Bone spoon with a pointed oval bowl and a flat handle ending in a point, incised circle-dot motifs cover the lower half of the handle, and the motif is colored with black or red pigment. A second oval bowl appears on the handle above the end bowl.
Provenance:
Michael Graham-Stewart, London, -- to 1989
Exhibition History:
The Art of Daily Life: Portable Objects from Southern Africa, Cleveland Museum of Art, April 17, 2011-February 26, 2012
Art of the Personal Object, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., September 24, 1991-April 9, 2007
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
