Accession Number
1984/2.33

Title
Drinking horn

Artist(s)
Kuba

Artist Nationality
Kuba (Democratic Republic of Congo style)

Object Creation Date
circa 1880

Medium & Support
cape buffalo horn and plant fibers

Dimensions
17 7/8 in x 13 3/4 in x 2 15/16 in (45.4 cm x 34.92 cm x 7.46 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase made possible by the Friends of the Museum of Art

Subject matter
Drinking horns were typically made from buffalo horns and often owned by nobility or title holders. Warriors and soldiers wore them as emblems of their ferocity and connection to the wilderness. A chord was attached to the horn so the cup could be suspended from a belt when not in use. They were often used to drink palm wine. Palm wine, made from raffia palm trees, was a popular beverage among Kuba men and women. The geometric patterns on this horn are similar to patterns found on Kuba textile, basketry, sculpture, and female body scarifications. 

References:
Suzanne Bier, Royal Arts of Africa, 1998
Daniel Biebuyck, The Arts of Zaire, 1985
Georges Meurant, African Textiles from the Kingdom of Kuba, 1986
Jan Vansina, The Children of Woot, 1978

Physical Description
A hollow animal horn with a braided fiber attached through a hole towards the horn's tip. Various linear designs, including intersecting lines, run along the bow of the horn in addition to concentric circles and zigzag lines.

Primary Object Classification
Sculpture

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Objects We Use
carvings (visual works)
geometric motifs
horn
prestige
vessels
wine cups