- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Toy boomerang with traces of decoration of red chevrons and black dots. [El.B 19/4/2007]
- Date / Period
- Date made: 1897-1778 BC Archaeological period: Ancient Egyptian Middle Kingdom
- Date collected
- 1890
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 1890
- Materials and processes
- Material Wood Plant, Material Pigment, Process Carved, Process Painted
- Dimensions
- Length: max 280 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1890.26.17
- Research and responses
The following notes are drawn from research compiled by Andy Mills as part of the DCF Cutting Edge project in 2006-2007.
This miniature throwing stick was excavated from an ancient Egyptian site by Egyptology’s founding father, W. Flinders Petrie. From papyri and tomb inscriptions, we know the Ancient Egyptians used full-size throwing sticks (such as those also depicted here in the case) for the hunting of waterfowl, although we can speculate they were also used for the killing of other small animals. This artefact was excavated from Flinders Petrie’s site of Kahun – a name he coined himself from mishearing the name of the nearest modern village, El Lahun. Petrie chose this excavation site because it included the stepped pyramid of Illahun (i.e. El Lahun) and an associated town site. Kahun was the first excavation to reveal the daily life of the common Ancient Egyptian people. The pyramid was that of the fourth XIIth Dynasty king, Senwosret II (r. 1897-1878 BC). In order to build his pyramid, he ordered a workforce amassed, and the associated settlement was built to house them. It was occupied for no more than 100 years, and so we can securely date this toy throwing stick to some time in the 130 years between 1,897 and 1,778 BC. Petrie began excavation at the site in 1889, and returned for a number of excavation seasons between then and 1920. However, in that our example was acquired from Martyn Kennard in 1890, we can be sure this artefact was excavated during the 1889-1890 season. During this season, Petrie and his team concentrated their efforts in Kahun’s ‘Western Quarter’, and so again, we can be sure the throwing stick was excavated in that area. This ‘Western Quarter’ is characterised by smaller back-to-back terraced housing (Ranks A through F). Consequently, we can see this as the toy of a common Ancient Egyptian child. [El.B 26/02/2008]
Kennard, along with Jesse Hayworth, was Petrie's main sponsor for the excavations at Lahun. The division of finds from the excavation was that of the material that was allowed to return to England, it would be equally divided between Petrie, Kennard and Haworth. Most of Hayworth's material went to the University of Manchester (see http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/collection/ancientegypt/virtualkahun/), but Kennard's objects were mostly sold at auction after his death in 1911 but evidently donated some of his portion of the finds to the Pitt Rivers. [AS 05/07/2012]
- Associated publications
- This object features in the Museum's audio guide produced during the DCF-funded 'Cutting Edge’ project, 2007-2009. [HH 20/06/2010] Excavation accounts: Petrie, W.M.F. 1890. Kahun, Gurob and Hawara (London); Petrie, WM.F. 1891 Illahun, Kahun and Gurob, 1889-90 (London) [AS 06/07/2012]
Search terms: Weapon, Toy and Game, Children and Childcare, Boomerang, Toy