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Catalog Data

Donor Name:
Dr. George W. Samson  Search this
Culture:
Afro-Jamaican  Search this
Object Type:
Fetish
Place:
Jamaica, Caribbean
Accession Date:
29 Jan 1885
Notes:
SPECIMEN IS OF WOOD, CLOTH, AND GLASS COMPOSITION AND REFLECTS REMNANTS OF AFRICAN-DERIVED SLAVE RELGIOUS BELIEFS IN JAMAICA. USED IN THE PRACTICE OF OBEAH, THE LOCAL TERM FOR SORCERY, THIS FIGURE HAS SMALL BROKEN PIECES OF MIRROR FOR EYES AND A LARGER PIECE INSERTED IN THE ABDOMEN. IN AFRO-JAMAICAN BELIEF MIRROS ARE REPUTEDLY USED BY OBEAH WORKERS TO CATCH THE SPIRITS OF THEIR INTENDED VICTIMS. IN THIS FETISH THERE IS THE CONNOTATIONS OF MYSTICAL SIGHT ATTRIBUTED TO THE OBEAHMAN AS A "FOUR- EYED" PERSON WITH BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGHT. ARMS AND LEGS OF THE FIGURE ARTICULATE AT SHOULDER AND PELVIS/KNEES RESPECTIVELY. THE HANDS ARE CARVED IN CUPPED FASHION SO THAT FIGURE COULD BE HUNG BY THE ARMS. TWO SMALL GREEN BUTTONS WITH SHAMROCKS ARE TIED AROUND THE NECK AND LONGITUDINAL HOLES ARE BORED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BODY FROM SHOULDERS TO PELVIS, POSSIBLY TO CONTAIN "POWDER", AMBER, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES USED IN OBEAH PRACTICE. (SEE MARTHA BECKWITH, 1929 BLACK ROADWAYS: A STUDY IN JAMAICAN FOLK LIFE. NEGRO UNIVERSITY PRESS.)
Record Last Modified:
16 Jun 2021
Specimen Count:
1
Topic:
Ethnology  Search this
Accession Number:
015674
USNM Number:
E74836-0
See more items in:
Anthropology
Data Source:
NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/369bb56c6-6016-4356-a5ef-6f221738045d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmnhanthropology_8478378