List of Objects

Telling a history of our world through objects

Click on the titles in the blue bar below [Location, Theme, Contributor Type, etc.] and then choose a category to see a list of objects - e.g. click Theme and then click War. (All objects have been classified by their contributor.)

You can also chose to see objects from a particular time period by clicking on the dates in the box below.

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Time Periods

Culture / African Cultures

  1. Ethiopian Gold Cross Ethiopian Gold Cross This little cross is a reminder that Ethiopia has been a Christian nation for 2000 years. According to the Bible,in Acts ... Contributed by Individual
  2. Shaka Zulu warrior's armband Shaka Zulu warrior's armband I have chosen an armband worn by Shaka Zulu's leading warriors, a reminder of one of Africa's high points. The antique ... Contributed by Individual
  3. Colonial era carving, Nigeria Colonial era carving, Nigeria This object commemorates a short moment in the British colonial presence in Africa. It is a relief carving of my ... Contributed by Individual
  4. Highly decorated Arab Chest Highly decorated Arab Chest This highly decorated,carved chest was bought by my parents for £4 in Zanzibar when they were on their way to be ... Contributed by Individual
  5. Omweso mancala gaming board from Uganda Omweso mancala gaming board from Uganda Mancala is an ancient African/Arabic game. I bought this 'Omweso' gaming board in Kampala, Uganda where I sponsered a ... Contributed by Individual
  6. Head of an oba (king) sculpted in bronze Head of an oba (king) sculpted in bronze This bronze head is as controversial as it is magnificent. It was a trophy of empire, taken from a royal shrine by ... Contributed by Museum
  7. Huntley and Palmer African Thumb Piano Huntley and Palmer African Thumb Piano A Huntley & Palmers biscuit tin reused as the sound box of an early twentieth century African thumb piano or sanza. Contributed by Museum
  8. Nelson Mandela Hippo Nelson Mandela Hippo It represents Nelson Mandela becoming president of South Africa. It shows the world changing from white people being in ... Contributed by Individual
  9. camel bell camel bell My grandfather gave this camel bell to my father and my father gave it to me. It was my grandfather's idea to have bells ... Contributed by Individual
  10. West African calabash food container West African calabash food container This object is made from the fruit of a gourd-plant. The husk is hollowed out, dried and hardened, and then can be used ... Contributed by Individual
  11. Ibeji (twin) figures (Nigeria, Yoruba) Ibeji (twin) figures (Nigeria, Yoruba) These figures were given to me as a personal gift in 1961, by HH the Ataoja [Chief] of Oshogbo, Oba Adenle the Second. ... Contributed by Individual
  12. Model of West African fishing boat Model of West African fishing boat This West African fishing boat comes from Accra, Ghana. It was acquired by my father in the early 1950s when he worked ... Contributed by Individual
  13. Salt blocks used as currency Salt blocks used as currency These blocks of salt bound with straw, and called 'amole tchew' (??? ??), were collected in Ethiopia by Major ... Contributed by Museum
  14. East african wooden statue East african wooden statue My grandfather Austin Kirby was in the colonial service in east Africa. He married my grandmother in 1913 and they ... Contributed by Individual
  15. Joseph Chamberlain souvenir notebook Joseph Chamberlain souvenir notebook In 1907, whilst he was living in South Africa, this notebook was given to my grandfather, Harley Firman, following the ... Contributed by Individual
  16. Camel Saddle from Suez Camel Saddle from Suez This is a camel saddle which my father, Major Tony Baldwin, brought home with him when he returned from Egypt after ... Contributed by Individual
  17. Painting of a Turkana tribesman Painting of a Turkana tribesman This watercolour painting of a Turkana tribesman was given to my father in the 1940s. It is one of a number of ... Contributed by Individual
  18. Ghanaian stool Ghanaian stool My mother acquired this wooden stool in the early 1940s during the Second World War. She had sailed in convoy from ... Contributed by Individual
  19. Beaded belt from Kenya Beaded belt from Kenya This belt was made for me when I was a child growing up in Kenya in the 1950s. It was made by my ayah (nanny) Maria who ... Contributed by Individual
  20. Sudanese slit drum Sudanese slit drum Wooden drum from central Africa, inscribed with Islamic markings in Sudan and brought to Britain in 1898 Contributed by The British Museum
  21. Akan drum Akan drum West African drum found in Virginia, USA in the 1700s probably brought from Africa on a slave trading voyage Contributed by The British Museum
  22. Benin plaque: the oba with Europeans Benin plaque: the oba with Europeans Brass plaque showing the Oba (king) of Benin in West Africa with attendants and European traders Contributed by The British Museum
  23. Benin carvings Benin carvings Made by the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria Contributed by Individual
  24. Ornamental head Ornamental head I bought this in Ghana, it appears to be quite old. Contributed by Individual
  25. Necklace Beads of African Slaves 17-18th Necklace Beads of African Slaves 17-18th European slave-traders paid African middle-men to bring native men and women to the atlantic ports. In the case of ... Contributed by Individual
  26. Lace-bark slippers from Jamaica Lace-bark slippers from Jamaica These slippers are made of the delicate mesh inner bark of the lace-bark tree, Lagetta lagetto, with soles of "cocoa ... Contributed by Museum
  27. Sphinx of Taharqo Sphinx of Taharqo A sphinx with the black African face of pharoah Taharqo of Kush in Sudan, which ruled Egypt for about 100 years. Contributed by The British Museum
  28. 'Numoli' figures 'Numoli' figures These 'Numoli' figures were highly prized and thought to bring good luck to their owners. They were placed under ... Contributed by Museum
  29. West African Ashanti cloth West African Ashanti cloth Each square of the fabric is made on an individual loom and then sewn together. My father acquired it after being ... Contributed by Individual
  30. Three water vases Three water vases These were used to keep things cool. They belonged to my great-grandma who worked for the Governor in Gibraltar. She ... Contributed by Individual
  31. Bronze ankle rings - West African dowry? Bronze ankle rings - West African dowry? We bought these heavy BRONZE rings in London approx. 6 year ago (say 2004). They were described as ankle rings given ... Contributed by Individual
  32. Ife head Ife head Head of an Oni, one of the rulers of Ife in Nigeria, one of medieval Africa's most powerful and wealthy kingdoms Contributed by The British Museum
  33. Kilwa pot sherds Kilwa pot sherds Broken pieces of pottery from China, the Middle East and Africa found at a port in Tanzania on Africa's east coast Contributed by The British Museum
  34. Sir Ben Kingsley's gold turban Sir Ben Kingsley's gold turban The actor, Sir Ben Kingsley, is no stranger to history, having played Gandhi in the David Attenborough film of the same ... Contributed by Individual
  35. General Gordon's ring made from a coin General Gordon's ring made from a coin The ring belonged to my grand-mother who was a cousin of General Gordon of Khartoum ('Chinese Gordon' as he was called) ... Contributed by Individual
  36. General Gordon's ring made from a coin General Gordon's ring made from a coin The ring belonged to my grand-mother who was a cousin of General Gordon of Khartoum ('Chinese Gordon' as he was called) ... Contributed by Individual
  37. Benin Pot Benin Pot Museum of Mankind suggest this is 1600. It was brought back from Nigeria in 1960. The embossed detail shows a curved ... Contributed by Individual
  38. Zimbabwe Bird Zimbabwe Bird My sister & I toured Rhodesia in the mid 1970's where our father had lived for some years. We visited the ruins of the ... Contributed by Individual
  39. Wooden mask Wooden mask An early tourist industry object that was bought by my father whilst working in Sierra Leone. Contributed by Individual
  40. Norvalspont May 1900 Pickaxe Lapel Pin Norvalspont May 1900 Pickaxe Lapel Pin The pickaxe lapel pin has a tiny engraved sterling silver plate that states: NorvalsPont May 1900. After many hours ... Contributed by Individual
  41. Yoruba Diviners Sash Yoruba Diviners Sash My parents are from the Yoruba region of Nigeria and according to oral tradition my surname was originally 'Ifashola' ... Contributed by Individual
  42. African Necklace African Necklace My Grandfather excahanged a tin of bully beef for this necklace from an African Tribsman when he was in S Africa in the ... Contributed by Individual
  43. An African sword An African sword Forged from steel with a unique rib on blade. Probably brought to the UK by British soldiers after the war. Contributed by Individual
  44. Egyptian Statue Egyptian Statue This statue hails from the Valley of the Kings and is made of sandstone. The contributor’s grandfather worked in the ... Contributed by Individual
  45. coconut beads and seashell beads coconut beads and seashell beads This necklace is made from little pieces of coconut shell and bamboo. It was given to me as a gift in Fiji when I ... Contributed by Individual
  46. A card made by disabled women in Zambia A card made by disabled women in Zambia This card comes from Zambia in Africa. I got in Dromantine Newry at summer camp last year. The leaders go to Africa ... Contributed by Individual
  47. A Bracelet from Malawi A Bracelet from Malawi This bracelet comes from Malwai. When my cousin visited there a few years ago she helped local people to design ... Contributed by Individual
  48. Bracelet from the Phillipines. Bracelet from the Phillipines. This bracelet came all the way from the phillipines and my Uncle bought me as a gift when he visited there. Local women ... Contributed by Individual
  49. Copper manillas Copper manillas Copper manilla bracelets from West Africa Contributed by Museum
  50. Fanti Fertility Doll Fanti Fertility Doll Wooden fertility doll used by the Fanti culture of West Africa. Painted face with traditional pattern on back of head. Contributed by Museum

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