Snuff Container
Culture | Kamba |
---|---|
Title | Snuff Container |
Date | 20th century |
Medium | Wood, horn, aluminum, and and brass |
Dimensions | Object: 4 1/2 × 1 5/8 × 1 1/4 in. (11.4 × 4.1 × 3.2 cm) Overall: 4 1/2 × 1 5/8 × 1 1/4 in. (11.4 × 4.1 × 3.2 cm) |
Credit Line | Museum purchase with funds from the Raymond and Laura Wielgus fund and with generous support from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
Accession Number | 2014.179 |
This artwork is currently on view. |

A vessel that tapers from the base to the neck, curving slightly to the side. The vessel's body is decorated below the area where a metal chain is tied to the vessel; it has a horizontal aluminum band at the top, and a section of aluminum dots in a pattern.
Tobacco was introduced to Africa through trade, as early as the 16th century, eventually becoming an important crop in parts of eastern Africa. Among the Kamba both men and women carried snuff containers, though a high-ranking male elder carried this example.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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Cite this page
"Snuff Container | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=2014.179