Description (Physical description)
A knife or fleam. The blade is thin with a curved cutting edge, it is set into a wooden stick and secured with hide binding. Used for the blood letting livestock.
Event Date 31/3/2022
Author: Annie Tomkins

Context (Amendments / updates)
This object (TEMP.01733) was found stored inside the quiver Z 19810. The accession register and catalogue card description for Z 19810 reads: 'Long leather quiver with 14 flighted arrows.'. There is no mention of a knife or fleam associated with Z 19810 and it is believed that the object was mistakenly stored inside the quiver and later incorrectly marked with Z 19810. The object has been assigned a temporary number: TEMP.01733. Inside the same box (EX 243; MAA.BOX.018599) two knives or fleams were found with the accession number 1931.161-2. TEMP.01733 bears a notable similarity to these objects and it is possible that TEMP.01733 was collected as the same time and place. However no other bloodletting knives from Kenya were ever entered into the accession register, it is possible that this object was collected at the same time but not accessioned. Further analysis is needed.
Event Date 31/3/2022
Author: Annie Tomkins