Snuff Spoon (intshengula or izintshengula)

late 1800s
Overall: 17.8 cm (7 in.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

Such spoons were typically worn as ornaments in the hair or even the beard, signaling the social standing of their wearer.

Description

Often, snuff spoons made from the rib of an ox or cow were subtly carved to suggest a female body. Decorated with incised designs blackened with cattle fat and ash, many are true hybrid objects, combining a spoon with a long-tined comb or hairpin. Such spoons were typically worn as ornaments in the hair or even the beard, thus signaling the social standing of their wearer.
Snuff Spoon (intshengula or izintshengula)

Snuff Spoon (intshengula or izintshengula)

late 1800s

Africa, Southern Africa, South Africa, Zulu-style maker

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.