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Scabbard

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This richly beaded scabbard features a pattern of buffalo heads. The beadwork is reminiscent of the best work of the royal workshops in the Kingdom of Bamum during the reign of King Njoya at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. In the kingdom of Bamum, buffaloes symbolised the noble servants at the royal palace who administered the kingdom. The scabbard was probably part of a weapon set. Such ceremonial weapons were not intended for war, but were considered parade weapons. The inventory number of this scabbard was lost during the Second World War, so that it has not been possible to identify it precisely to this day.

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Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum Show original at data provider

Cataloguing data

Cultural attribution
Bamun (Bamum, Mamum, Bamoun, Mamoun, Mamoum) (?)
Object type
Scabbard
Dimensions
Height: 52 cm
Depth: 3 cm
Width: 17 cm
Material/Technique
Wood, Glass, Textile
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
III Nls 1872

Provenance and sources

  • Production
    when
    19th century (end)-20th century (beginning)
    where
    Cameroon
    Grassland
    who
    Bamun (Bamum, Mamum, Bamoun, Mamoun, Mamoum) (?)
  • Assignment to a curated holding:
    Africa

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
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