Ceremonial Knife

Item

Accession Number

2018.10

Title

Ceremonial Knife

Ethnic Group

Yoruba

Subject

Knife|Ceremony|West Africa

Country

Nigeria

Date

20th century

Medium

Wood|Bone|Leather|Inlaid Metal|Rope

Format

H x W: 14.75 x 4 in. (37.465 x 10.16 cm)

Description

A ceremonial knife used in funerals or buried with the body. This piece has a leather handle with brass decoration on the oneside of the blade and hatching on the other. There is a carved wooden head on the end of the handle and the figure has large deep-set eyes, an open mouth, and a triangular nose, which are all characteristics of the Yoruba artistic style.

Item sets

2018.10.side.jpg 2018.10_detail.jpg