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Pitt Rivers Museum

1937.35.12

Axe for making ostrich eggshell beads, with narrow iron blade and wooden handle. [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 10/11/2005]

On display


1937.35.12

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

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Collection type
Object
Description
Axe for making ostrich eggshell beads, with narrow iron blade and wooden handle. [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 10/11/2005]
Geographical reference
Western Darfur
Cultural groups
Fur
Person
Field collector Anthony John Arkell
PRM source Anthony John Arkell
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1937
Date collected
By 1937
Acquisition information
Donated: 1937
Materials and processes
Material Iron Metal, Material Wood Plant
Dimensions
Length: max 285 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1937.35.12
Associated publications
This object was featured in the Museum’s ‘web gallery’ (‘Selected Objects from the Lower Gallery’) produced during the DCF-funded ‘What’s Upstairs?’ project, 2004–2006, with the following caption: ‘This small axe from Sudan was used for making beads from ostrich egg shells. The axe was used for cutting out the disc shapes from the shell, and then a drill was used to bore out the centre of the bead. The axe was made some time before 1937.

Search terms: Tool, Bead, Weapon, Axe