Lidded Gunpowder Container
Not on view
A lidded container for gun powder with a bulbous body topped by a cylindrical neck. At the summit, a thin disk-shaped lid keeps the content enclosed. A leather string passes through metal loops and keeps the lid joined to the body. The work's wooden surface is covered by either reptile (varan) skin affixed to the wooden core with adorning rows of tapestry nails, or hammered brass.
This distinctive gun power container is a rare example of a genre of personal object owned by prominent individuals in a Fang community. Its use of hammered brass and reptile skin (varan) is characteristic of the region's craftsmanship, displayed on a range of objects, from knifes' sheath to the surfaces of certain reliquary elements.
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