Chiefs Horn

This is a musical horn, made out of ivory. It has a side-blown mouth piece and is decorated with a carved snake, swallowing a frog. It is described as a Kissi, or Kisi, horn, from the Sierra Leone-Guinea-Liberia border. Horns of this kind were often called war horns but a chiefs horn is a more accurate description as they were most commonly played by a hornblower who attended the chief.

Further Information

• Type: Musical instruments
• Object: Chiefs Horn
• Materials: Bone, ivory, tooth
• Culture Group: Kisi
• Dimensions: 780mm [L] x 100mm [W] x 120mm [C]
• Production Date: Pre 1946
• Associated Places: Unknown
• Associated People: Reginald Earle
• Museum: British Museum
• Accession Number: BM:Af.1946.8.1

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