Snuff Container
Possibly mid–late 19th century
Northern Nguni KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Eastern and Southern Africa
South Africa
This snuff container made of cattle horn was worn by a high-ranking man as a pendant. Its material, shape, and use connect it to the spirit world. Cattle have been a primary source of wealth throughout southern Africa, playing a critical role in communications between the living and the dead. Tobacco was part of wedding gifts and also offered to the ancestors.
Cattle horn, copper, brass, and iron