Fly switch or whisk

Museum number:
5-16830
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21050016830
Alternate number:
22 (previous number (donor's original number))
Accession number:
Acc.4729
Description:
man's fly switch or horse hair whisk woven into a decorative segment of brown and white thread. handle is hide or hide-covered, ending in a strap. when new, the strap could be used as a whip (now dried into a knot). woven into the top section is what appears to be an inscription of 4 symbols (may refer to its presentation to Dr. Shack).
Donor:
Dorothy Shack
Collection place:
Ethiopia
Verbatim coll. place:
East Africa, Ethiopia, Gurage (attrb.)
Culture or time period:
Gurage
Collector:
Dorothy Shack and William A. Shack
Materials:
Cotton (textile), Hide (collagenous material), Horsehair, and Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Function:
1.5 Household
Accession date:
May 22, 2002
Context of use:
personal care or comfort
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Dimensions:
width 10 centimeters and length 100 centimeters
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Fly switch or whisk, accession number 5-16830, described as man's fly switch or horse hair whisk woven into a decorative segment of brown and white thread. handle is hide or hide-covered, ending in a strap. when new, the strap could be used as a whip (now dried into a knot). woven into the top section is what appears to be an inscription of 4 symbols (may refer to its presentation to Dr. Shack).

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