Accession No
Z 13105
Description
A bone comb originally with eight prongs and a single-sided decorated handle. There is a human head carved at the top of the handle; this sits on a rectangular section which has a vertical protrusion either side of the head like arms. There is a cross incised into the rectangular section, the top triangle filled with indented dots. Three of the broken have broken off, one of these has had the broken surface smoothed.
Place
Africa; West Africa; Nigeria; Edo State; Okpe
Period
Source
Thomas, Northcote Whitridge [field collector]; Bevan, Anthony Ashley (Prof.) [monetary donor]
Department
Anth
Reference Numbers
Z 13105; 1781 (Thomas Collection Number - 1st Catalogue); 1910-13; T.10.385 [written on object]; 385 [left side of Thomas Collection label]
Cultural Affliation
Edo; Okpe
Material
Bone
Local Term
Measurements
Events
Description (Physical description)
Bone comb, undecorated on back.
Event Date
Author: maa
Context (Related Documents)
'1910-13 T.10.385' has been crossed through on the catalogue card
Event Date
Author: maa
Description (Labels & Markings)
Marked on back in pen reads: 'T10.385'
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring
Description (Labels & Markings)
Thomas label adhered to back reads: '385 | 1781 / Comb, bone, seven prong, two broken; head on top, with arms. / Okpe'
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring
Description (Physical description)
Human figure carved on the front. Two prongs broken and missing. [K. Sutton]
Event Date 23/5/2001
Author: Katrina Dring
Context (Related Documents)
See E 1910.118 and E 1913.3 records for further details about the Thomas Collection from Nigeria. [T.Cotterill]
Event Date 7/5/2001
Author: Katrina Dring
Context (Display)
On display in the 'Origins of the Afro Comb: 6000 years of Culture, Politics and Identity' exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum July 1-November 3 2013. The exhibition label states: 'Hair combs
Made from wood (12-20)
and bone (21-23)
Before 1914
From Okpe, South Nigeria
Okpe, Edo Culture
Made by Okpe Artists
Collected by N.W. Thomas. On loan from Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Z 12900; Z 12991; Z 13055; Z 12978; Z 12967; Z 13041;
Z 12967; Z 13037; Z 12972; Z 12979; Z 12885; Z 13105'.
Event Date 22/7/2013
Author: Remke van der Velden
Description (Physical description)
A bone comb originally with eight prongs and a single-sided decorated handle. There is a human head carved at the top of the handle; this sits on a rectangular section which has a vertical protrusion either side of the head like arms. There is a cross incised into the rectangular section, the top triangle filled with indented dots. Three of the broken have broken off, one of these has had the broken surface smoothed.
Event Date 1/8/2018
Author: Katrina Dring
Context (Amendments / updates)
Record updated as part of the Museum Affordances project 2018-2020
Event Date 1/8/2018
Author: Katrina Dring
Description (Labels & Markings)
The accession number is marked on the object in white.
Event Date 9/11/2021
Author: Benjamina Dadzie
FM:127107
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