Thorn Carving Item Number: K2.117 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Standing figure representing a woman with basket on her head going to market to sell. Her left arm is resting at her side as her right arm is bending upward to hold the basket. Her basket is a two piece with the lower portion of dark brown and the upper portion rounded and of a lighter wood colour. Clothes are of a lighter wood colour than the body. On a wood base.
History Of Use
Thorn carvings are miniatures depicting a variety of scenes from Nigerian life. The carvings first began to be made circa 1930. The thorns vary in size; they can be as large as 12.7 cm long and 9.6 cm wide. The thorn wood is comparatively soft and easy to carve; they are traditionally carved by men.
Specific Techniques
The light yellow-brown thorn and the dark brown thorn come from the ata tree; the light red-brown thorn comes from egun trees. The parts are glued together with viscous paste made that was made from rice cooked with water.
Narrative
Collected by Dougal MacGregor while he was a teacher at the University of Accra, 1970.
Cultural Context
craft; tourist art
Item History
- Made in Viame, Ghana
- Collected during 1970
- Owned by Dugal Macgregor and Sue Macgregor before April 1970
- Received from Dugal Macgregor (Donor) and Sue Macgregor (Donor) during April 1970
What
Who
- Culture
- Yoruba ?
- Previous Owner
- Dugal Macgregor and Sue Macgregor
- Received from
- Dugal Macgregor (Donor) and Sue Macgregor (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Viame, Ghana
When
- Collection Date
- during 1970
- Ownership Date
- before April 1970
- Acquisition Date
- during April 1970
Other
- Item Classes
- carvings & sculpture
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0166/0021