Thorn Carving

About this object

History of use

Thorn carvings are miniatures depicting scenes from Nigerian life. This type of carving began circa 1930. Thorns vary in size. They can be as large as 12.7 cm. long and 9.6 cm. wide. They are comparatively soft and easily carved. 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 from rice cooked with water. They are carved by men.

Cultural context

craft; tourist art

Physical description

Two figures representing a man and a woman. The woman is kneeling with hands crossed on top of her head, bare breasted with a long skirt. Man is barefoot, standing, wearing a cap, a shirt, a vest, and knee-length pants while he is holding a drumstick in his right hand. He is striking the lower of two hourglass shaped drums suspended from his left shoulder on a ribbon harness. A shrine with a smooth back carved with two faces on the front holds a hen on top. Heads, limbs, drum, and drumstick are dark brown. Woman's skirt, hat, and hen are light red-brown. Man's vest, shirt, pants, drum heads, and shrine are light yellow-brown. All set on a light brown plywood base.