1937.34.30.1

Collection type

Object

Description

Three neck ornaments consisting of strings of perforated snail shells: two short [.1-.2] and one long [.3]. [N.B. 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 4/8/2005]

Geographical reference

Kenya

Africa > Eastern Africa > Kenya

Kavirondo Nyanza

Cultural groups

Luo

Person

Field collector Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

PRM source Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1936

Date collected

1936

Acquisition information

Donated: 1937

Materials and processes

Material Snail-Shell Animal, Material Shell, Material Sisal Fibre Plant, Material Wood Plant, Process Strung, Process Tied, Process Perforated

Dimensions

Length: max 350 mm, Length: max 720 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1937.34.30.1 Accession number: 1937.34.30.2 Accession number: 1937.34.30.3

Research and responses

Examined by Gilbert Oteyo and Jeremy Coote in September 2002 as part of the British Academy funded project 'Luo Histories and Material Culture at the Pitt Rivers Museum': Ornaments consisting of snail- and bivalve shells strung and/or tied on sisal fibre. There are also a few small (15 mm long) pieces of wood (perhaps of a symbolically significant species) tied on here and there between the shells. Such ornaments were worn from the neck, over the shoulder, down the back, and around the waist by members of the Mumo cult who had been possessed by spirits from Lake Victoria. Such ornaments were also worn by people attending funerals. When the person wearing such ornaments moved the shells made a rattling noise. Also, air moving through the shells (especially if the wearer was running) made a further noise interpreted as being made by spirits and thus considered frightening by Luo. Such an ornament can be seen being worn in a photograph in the Museum's collections taken by E. E. Evans-Pritchard (EP: L.112). [JC 20 9 2002]

Search terms: Ornament, Status, Music, Religion, Death, Neck Ornament