This elegantly formed staff would have been carried as a prestige object by a Shilluk warrior. The top of the staff has a beautiful bulbous mushroom-shaped head and below, the staff tapers down into a fine point. Carved from a brown hard wood, the staff exhibits a lovely smooth, honey-coloured surface patina.
Similar examples, including a staff collected by Edward John Russell in 1923 and another presented to the museum in 1903, can be found in the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford (see the links below for further information).
Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century
Ex Private Collection, UK
'Club, Shilluk? (1965.12.119)'
H (Incl. Custom-Made Stand): 77cm
H (Excl. Custom-Made Stand): 71cm
Width of Top of Staff/Club: 11.5cm
(Click on images to enlarge)
