XHOSA, SOUTH AFRICA

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This distinctive type of zoomorphic snuff container is associated with a region in the Eastern Cape, a province of South Africa. Often depicting domestic animals, they were sculpted from a paste of blood and hide scrapings with ochre or powdered clay, which was applied around a mould (of clay, sand, or wax) and left in the sun to dry. Once the figure had partially hardened, the details and surface texture were pricked out using a fine tool. The final step was to cut a hole for the removal of the mould; this then became the opening for the container, which was closed with a stopper.

These containers were sometimes adorned with beadwork, and were carried in a pouch or hung from the waist by a thong. This is a particularly fine rendition of an ox, with large upraised horns and a massive body with low center of gravity, poised on four very short legs. Similar examples are held in the British Museum.

Tobacco and snuff were important and ubiquitous elements of both social and ritual culture in southern Africa. Figuring prominently in casual and recreational activities, tobacco was also powerfully associated with the ancestors and was used as a means of spiritual connection and communication, conferring upon it a complex range of symbolism. Accordingly, the breadth of design in tobacco paraphernalia shows a wide span, running from exceedingly simple forms to ornate creations such as this remarkable ox figure.

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