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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