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Pitt Rivers Museum

1888.31.2

Flagella, ball of wax stuck with splinters of glass. [MJD 27/11/2012]


1888.31.2

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Collection type
Object
Description
Flagella, ball of wax stuck with splinters of glass. [MJD 27/11/2012]
Long description
Flagella, ball of wax stuck with splinters of glass. The ball has a cord of string. [MJD 27/11/2012]
Geographical reference
Azores Fenaes D'Ajuda
Cultural groups
Portuguese
Date / Period
Date made: 1800-1900
Date collected
1888
Acquisition information
Donated: 1888
Materials and processes
Material Wax, Material Glass, Material String, Process Twisted, Process Glued
Dimensions
Width 60 mm, Length 280 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1888.31.2
Research and responses

In a small exercise book found in the basement with other Museum documentation, titled 'Additions to Pitt Rivers collection, subsequent to its removal to Oxford, Pres. by Gen. Pitt Rivers' is the following entry:

'Oct 1888 Azoraque, flagellum, sacred candle and medida from St Michaels, Azores, obtained by Mr Howarth and purchase from him £5' [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

On a research visit to Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Pitt Rivers ms collections I found the following letter:

L559 Osbert H. Howarth 26.10.1888 “I understand Mr Tylor that in offering the Azorean “Disciplinia” for your museum at Oxford I have proposed somewhat too high a value for them. I was, as I said, rather at a loss how to value them at all but if you care to have them for, say, £5, I shall be pleased to send them up. I should prefer before leaving England again to see them housed in such a collection where they can been seen and compared.”

Search terms: Religion, Punishment and Torture, Whip