Gourd Rattle

A rattle made out of a gourd, with a loose net of string, strung with multiple rows of cowrie shells, bordered with red, blue, and green, tubular glass beads. This example resembles a Mende segureh, or seghura, but is larger, and more carefully strung. This was originally part of the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum collection. It was acquired by the British Museum in 1954.

Related Videos

Further Information

• Type: Musical instruments
• Object: Gourd Rattle
• Materials: Vegetable, organic fibre, Shell, Textile
• Culture Group: Mende
• Dimensions: 340mm [H] x 310mm [W]
• Production Date: Pre 1954
• Associated Places: Unknown
• Associated People: Wellcome Historical Medical Museum
• Museum: British Museum
• Accession Number: BM:Af.1954.23.3699

Related Objects