Wooden bowl containing shells, bones and nut kernels, South Africa, 1890-1924
- Made:
- 1890-1924 in South Africa
Set of 18 bones, four pieces of nut shell, three shells, (one cowrie) and two nut kernels, all contained inside a shallow wooden bowl, South African, 1890-1924
A wooden bowl containing shells, bones and nut kernels, used by South African diviners. In many African countries the cause of disease can be diagnosed by divination. Diviners throw the objects onto a mat and interpret their pattern.
Details
- Category:
- Ethnography and Folk Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A657974
- Materials:
- bone, animal, shell, cowrie shell, nut kernel and bowl, wood
- Measurements:
-
overall: 60 mm 210 mm,
- type:
- divination bowl
- credit:
- British Empire Exhibition. Nigerian Sect