Thorn Carving Item Number: 3326/30 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Thorn carving depicting a village scene. Figures adhered to a rectangular particle board base. Four small cylindrical huts with conical roofs are situated one in each corner. The hut walls and ground are layered with a grayish earth(?). Around the huts, eight small figures. At centre, three women, two with children on their backs, are sweeping and stirring jars. There are three male figures, one carrying wood and two seated.

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.

Cultural Context

craft; tourist art

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

Most of the Nigerian objects in the Lieber collection were assumed to have been collected while Jack Lieber was living in Nigeria, 1965-1970. However one of the thorn carvings was made after 1971, so the dates are uncertain.

Item History

What

Name
Thorn Carving
Identification Number
3326/30
Type of Item
carving
Material
atum thorn, egun thorn, adhesive, wood and earth ?
Manufacturing Technique
carved and glued
Overall
height 12.6 cm, width 22.3 cm, depth 15.5 cm

Who

Culture
Yoruba
Previous Owner
Jack Lieber and Iris Lieber
Received from
Iris Lieber (Donor)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Ibadan, Nigeria ?

When

Creation Date
during 1970
Collection Date
between 1965 and 1970
Ownership Date
before 2015 and before June 18, 2018
Acquisition Date
on June 18, 2018

Other

Item Classes
carvings & sculpture
Condition
fair
Accession Number
3326/0030