IDNO

P.50774.RDG

Description

Two fetishes labelled “12” and “13” from left to right.
Fetish “12” is a bundle of objects, in the front of the bundle there is a knife shaped blade (not metal) with a long polished handle. The bundle is bound with rows of woven twine in four places from top to bottom. A cylindrical shaped polished object is attached to the bundle with a single piece of looped twine.
Fetish ‘13’ is a larger individual example of the other objects in the bundle ‘12’. It is a stick-like object enclosed in plantain leaves and bound round with fibre, and with a globular head.

Place

E Africa; Uganda

Cultural Affliation

Baganda

Named Person

Photographer

None

Collector / Expedition

Roscoe, John R. [Object collector]; Katikiro of Uganda [Object donor]

Date

circa 1903

Collection Name

Ridgeway CollectionMuseum Objects and Galleries

Source

Format

Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

This print was an envelope now marked C219/, which was found in the wooden drawer I.

Related Object: Object numbered ‘12’ is MAA Object E.1903.480.A with the description
“A fetish consisting of a bundle of sticks, the majority bound with fibre and several with a fibre-covered bulbous head. The whole bundle is tied round with four bands of plaited fibre string. Included in the bundle is a wooden knife, with blade flat on one side, and convex on other, the latter being sharpened. A loose string is tied round the bundle, from which is suspended a section of bamboo, and a peculiarly shaped seed. Presented by Katikiro of Uganda per J.R. cf. A.R, 1904, p.13, 592.
‘The peculiarly shaped seed does not appear to be present’. T.Cotterill, 15/03/2001.” [JD 21/6/2007]

Related Object: Object numbered ‘13’ is MAA Object E.1903.478 with the description
“Fetish: A stick-like object enclosed in plantain leaves and bound round with fibre: globular head. Presented by Katikiro of Uganda per J.R. cf. A.R, 1904, p.13, 589.” [JD 21/6/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [JD 2/7/2007]