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1932.35.8

Bone voice disguiser with geometric designs. Pottery head with bone eyes and elaborate head-dress. Abrus seeds and bead rings around the neck.

1932.35.8

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

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Collection type
Object
Description
Bone voice disguiser with geometric designs. Pottery head with bone eyes and elaborate head-dress. Abrus seeds and bead rings around the neck.
Geographical reference
Nigeria
Africa > Western Africa > Nigeria
Benue Abinsi
Cultural groups
Tiv
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1932
Date collected
By 1932
Acquisition information
Donated: 08/1932 Bequeathed: 1939, uncertain
Materials and processes
Material Animal Bone, Material Pottery, Material Abrus Precatorius Seed Plant, Material Bead, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Process Fire-Hardened, Process Decorated, Process Incised, Process Inlaid
Dimensions
Length 349 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1932.35.8 Other numbers: Balfour 422 Other PRM accession number: 1938.34.422
Research and responses

This voice disguiser was looked at by Dr Nicholas Marquez-Grant, lecturer in Forensic Anthropology at Cranfield University. He was unable to determine of the bone is human or not. Size wise, it could only be human femur but the most distinguishing features have been polished off or obscured by resin- Further CT analysis needed to see end and cross section.

Search terms: Music, Figure, Religion, Musical Instrument, Religious Object, Voice Disguiser