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.