Side-blown horn. Animal horn with shallow longditudinal ridges and larger lateral ridges around inside of curve. The tip has been removed, leaving a hole 7.5x9 mm. Mouthhole is on outside of curve, approx 60 mm from the tip. The surface of the horn has been flattened and toolmarks are visible around the hole. The hole has an irregular trapezium shape, it is 29 mm long, 10 mm wide at the tip end and 14 mm wide at the lower end. Mouth of horn: 43x31 mm
This horn was collected in Nigeria by Mercedes Mackay. In an article she published in 1950 on the subject of Nigerian music she wrote: 'It is common all over Africa to utilise the horns of animals for religious ceremonies and to greet important persons. Game is scarce in Nigeria, owing to the density of the population, so that the only horn, apart form that of the ubiquitous cow, which I saw in use was that of the kob buck. The horn has the tip sawn off and a square cut out a little further down. It is played horizontally with quite a variety of pitch.'
