- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Bamboo drinking-mug with human figures, human and buffalo skulls, and elephants carved in relief.
- Cultural groups
- Phom Naga
- Person
- Maker Kaolun
- Field collector Eric Thomas Drummond Lambert
- PRM source Eric Thomas Drummond Lambert
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1936
- Date collected
- By 1936
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 1936
- Materials and processes
- Material Bamboo Plant, Material Metal, Material Hair, Process Carved
- Dimensions
- Diameter: max 102 mm, Height: max 410 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1936.36.53
- Research and responses
E. T. D. Lambert could Eric Thomas Drummond Lambert (1909-1996), who was an officer in the Indian (Imperial) Police from 1929-47, the Political Officer for the Brahmaputra-Chindwin Survey from 193506, and the District Commissioner of the Naga Hills in 1938 (see Who Was Who entry for further details). [CW 18/5/2000]
- Associated publications
- This object was featured in the Museum’s ‘web gallery’ (‘Selected Objects from the Lower Gallery’) produced during the DCF-funded ‘What’s Upstairs?’ project, 2004–2006, with the following caption: 'This bamboo drinking mug from Nagaland, in Northeast India, has been elaborately carved with human figures, elephants, and skulls. This vessel belonged to a head-hunter – the skulls represent heads taken by him. Head-hunting was practised amongst the Nagas until the twentieth century. It was part of ritualized warfare, in which heads were taken to gain status and encourage fertility. This vessel was made some time before 1936 by a man called Kaolun, who was a Phom Naga.
Search terms: Vessel, Food and Drink, Headhunting, Figure, Status, Cup, Animal Figure, Food Accessory, Status Object