Fertility Figure Item Number: Aj106 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Wood figure representing a young man. Elongated slender figure carved in wood and blackened. Straight crude limbs and small delicately carved features. Rough black wool yarn has been glued on for hair and small white beads glued at eyes. Dressed in an outer apron. Inner apron and dress-like front apron in leather with large rich coloured beads in green, red, blue, and white.
History Of Use
Carved wooden figure for a young married women to promote fertility. The wooden figure would be carved by the girl's father, and the miniature clothes made by the mother, or the girl herself, usuing their own beads and leather cut from her clothing. After giving birth to her first child it would be passed along to a sister.
Narrative
Acquired by the collector in Nairobi. There is said to be a similar example in the Nairobi Museum in Kenya.
Item History
- Made in Kenya
- Collected during 1975
- Owned by Josh Gruber before May 18, 1977
- Received from Josh Gruber (Donor) on May 18, 1977
What
Who
- Culture
- Turkana
- Previous Owner
- Josh Gruber
- Received from
- Josh Gruber (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Kenya
When
- Collection Date
- during 1975
- Ownership Date
- before May 18, 1977
- Acquisition Date
- on May 18, 1977
Other
- Item Classes
- carvings & sculpture
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0384/0001