Northern Nguni. Lidded Container. 1850–1900. South Africa. Wood The use of this container with its graceful ovoid form and incised linear pattern is unclear. It may have served as a prestige object for a high-ranking member of society—for instance, providing a place to store tobacco in honor of guests and ancestors on festive and ritual occasions. Recent scholarship suggests that it may have been made explicitly for sale to a foreign client, tourist, or resident.

---

Size: 2149px × 3000px
Photo credit: © WBC ART / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: