club

club

club

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Introduction

Ball headed war club with marten motif. Northeastern North American. Donated to the British Museum by Reverend Dr. William Sparrow Simpson in 1868. Part of the Christy Collection.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Possibly Anishinaabe, as they made similarly styled clubs and the marten is one of their clans. -AE

Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created from information in the British Museum object catalogue.

Materials

Made of wood, likely a hard wood.

Techniques or Format

Carved from one piece. The ball is made from the knot of a tree. The handle has a hole and an incision at the bottom. The top of the shaft is fluted, making for three squares and a round part.

Motifs and Patterns

Likely a marten biting a ball. There is possibly a bird effigy incised into the handle.

Dimensions: 59 × 14 × 0 cm
Condition: Fair. There are a few cracks.
Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.4976
Collection at Current Location: Christy Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1868
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Reverend Dr. William Sparrow Simpson
Collection Narratives and Histories

Donated to the British Museum by Reverend Dr. William Sparrow Simpson in 1868

GKS Reference Number: 25396
How to Cite this Item

Unknown artist, club. Currently in the British Museum, Am.4976. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 25396.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Darlene Johnston (DJ), Jonathan King (JK), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

43.0703, -80.1184

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