Thorn Carving Item Number: K2.104 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Sitting figure representing a female on "market gossip". Figure is sitting on a cylindrical object. The knees are bent so that the legs are angled frontward. The elbows are bent so that the arms are resting just above the knees. Clothes are of a slightly lighter wood colour than the body. On a wood base.
History Of Use
Thorn carvings are miniatures depicting a variety of scenes from Nigerian life. The carvings first began to be made circa 1930. The thorns vary in size; they can be as large as 12.7 cm long and 9.6 cm wide. The thorn wood is comparatively soft and easy to carve; they are traditionally carved by men.
Specific Techniques
The light yellow-brown thorn and the dark brown thorn come from the ata tree; the light red-brown thorn comes from egun trees. The parts are glued together with viscous paste made that was made from rice cooked with water.
Cultural Context
craft; tourist art
Narrative
Collected by Dugal MacGregor while he was a teacher at the University of Accra, 1970.
Item History
- Made in Viame, Ghana
- Collected during 1970
- Owned by Dugal Macgregor and Sue Macgregor before April 1970
- Received from Dugal Macgregor (Donor) and Sue Macgregor (Donor) during April 1970
What
Who
- Culture
- Yoruba ?
- Previous Owner
- Dugal Macgregor and Sue Macgregor
- Received from
- Dugal Macgregor (Donor) and Sue Macgregor (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Viame, Ghana
When
- Collection Date
- during 1970
- Ownership Date
- before April 1970
- Acquisition Date
- during April 1970
Other
- Item Classes
- carvings & sculpture
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0166/0008