IDNO

N.102188.MF

Description

Six clay figures in a row. The figure on the left represents a chief on horseback. The next figure is a female standing. The another man on the back side of a horned animal (cow?), another female figure and two animals. These were made by boys as toys.

Place

W Africa; Ghana; Upper East Region [Gold Coast; Northern Territories]

Cultural Affliation

Tallensi

Named Person

Photographer

?Fortes, Meyer

Collector / Expedition

Fortes, Meyer

Date

?May - ?June 1934

Collection Name

Fortes Collection

Source

Drucker-Brown, Susan

Format

Glass Negative Halfplate

Primary Documentation

Other Information

N.102188.MF - N.102198.MF were kept in the box now numbered C552/.

Exhibition: Same figures in Museum of Archaeology and Antrhopology on display, August 2007- The catalogue inscription reads: Clay model representing chief on horseback, made as a toy by boys of about twelve. Red and blackware figure, conical redware hat, buffware saddle, and blackware horse made seperately. Figure and saddle clothed in scraps of multicoloured imported cloth. In different handwriting card reads “Horse probably coloured after painting”.

Context: Fortes writes about the play activities of Tallensi children. He notes that, “Boys who like modelling may make clay figures of cows and bulls for their play; bits of sticks, leaves, of a common shrub which can be opened so as to stand up on their edges, pebbles, and other things are used. Yet despite the meagre materials and the paucity of mimetic content the play fascinates boys from the age of 5 or 6, when they are still too young to go out with the herds, to about 12, when they may be full-blown herd-boys.” (Fortes, 1970, p.252) [Alicia Fentiman, 29/4/2008]

Bibliographical Reference:
Fortes, M. 1970. “Social and Psychological Aspects of Education in Taleland,’ in Time and Social Structure, pp.201-259. (London: teh Athlone Press)

Fortes, Meyer, 1945. Dynamics of Clanship Among the Tallensi (London: Oxford University Press).

Bibliographical Reference: Fortes, Meyer, 1949. The Web of Kinship Among the Tallensi (London: Oxford University Press).

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman, 29/4/2008]