Quartz pebble with ground edges.

Collection type: Object
Description: Quartz pebble with ground edges.
Geographical reference: South Africa
Africa > Southern Africa > South Africa; Zambia
Africa > Eastern Africa > Zambia
Cultural groups: Lozi
Person: Field collector Unknown Collector; PRM source Wellcome Historical Medical Museum
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1951
Date collected: By 1951
Acquisition information: Donated: 1951
Materials and processes: Material Quartz Stone, Process Ground
Dimensions: Diameter: max 11 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1951.6.35.2 Other numbers: WHMM no. 164336
Research and responses: According to Robert Nyamushosho (Lecturer of Archaeology at the University of Cape Town), circular pebbles have historically been used in South Africa to smooth pottery, as game tokens, and used by Sangoma, who would throw them in a dice-like fashion to foretell the future. These pebbles could have been used for any of these purposes [MC 2022].
The Wellcome inventory card for these four pebbles (1951.6.35.2) has been digitised by staff at the Wellcome collection and is available here: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/nbqe335s/items?canvas=277
The card lists the following information: “Description of object: PEBBLES. Stone. Translucent. Africa. Used with 164334 & 164335 [2 pottery dice pots]. Bought of: Glen: 324/6&7/xi/33 (Mr Stow)”. [JMC 06/03/2024]

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