The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Tag: Pitt Rivers Museum – Oxford

Cloth marked with symbols

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Cloth marked with figures in a series of squares, said to be from the emperor’s tent

Where: Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PP

It is unclear whether this means it was part of the tent or taken out of the tent.

The catalogue entry says it was donated in 1886 by the sister-in-law of the anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor, who described the figures as “magical”

Annual Report 1886 Oxford University Museum of Natural History – ‘Donations to the University Museum The following is a List of the Donations which have been made to the University Museum, Oxford, during the year 1886:- … Anthropology … Cloth inscribed with Magical Figures in Squares, from the Tent of King Theodore of Abyssinia Mrs Tylor 22A Queen Anne’s Gate, London … Edward B. Tylor/ Keeper of the Museum

Related Documents File – Page handwritten in pencil by Edward Burnett Tylor with nine squares/matrices each with numbers written in the boxes within the squares. Next to some of these squares is a column of Tylor’s writing: ‘Arabic Magic Cloth from W. Alfred Tylor. Squares with numbers N will be seen from those given that they do no follow a magic rule, but they are blotted and indistinct and therefore only partly read correctly. Apparently by an inferior practitioner who wrote anything, but some ciphers are almost or quite absurd. EBT Feb 27 1895.’ [MOB 4/9/2001]

Detail
1886.13.1

Posted In Royal regalia | Said to belong to Tewodros | Tents | The Plunder
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Shield with bullet hole *

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Shield with bullet hole, linked to Magdala but wrong date

Where: Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PP

The accession entry says it belonged to a soldier “killed at the action of ?ARACEE before MAGDALA †, 1860, one of the first 20 recipients of a Snider bullet.”

ARACEE probably refers to Aroge, the decisive battle of the Magdala campaign. The snider bullet probably refers to the snider rifles used for the first time by the British forces on the expedition.

But … The Battle of Aroge took place in 1868 not 1860. This could be a simple mistake in the labeling. However another Pitt Rivers label links the shield to other fighting (see below). So it is possible this shield is from another battle and the Magdala account was added later through confusion or to add interest.

The catalogue entry has three pictures and reads:

“Convex circular hide shield with slightly upturned rim. Decorated with five round silver bosses with raised centres and punched decoration, surrounded by rectangular and flower-shaped silver plaques, all attached with silver-headed rivets.

“There is a bullet hole in the bottom right section of the shield.”

Accession Book Entry – JOHN BUSBY, Esq. … Oxford. – Shield, circular of hide, with (silver) metal strips. The former owner was killed at the action of ?ARACEE before MAGDALA †, 1860, one of the first 20 recipients of a Snider bullet. Brought to England by Lt.-Col. Yorke, who was present at the action.

Display history: PRM display label (1991 – 1995) – AFRICA, ETHIOPIA. Circular hide shield with silver strip decoration. It was used in action in Lij Kassa’s (also known as Theodore II) internal wars in Northern Ethiopia around the capital, Magdala. The original owner of the shield was killed during a battle in 1860. Shields continued to be made in Ethiopia even after the arrival of firearms. The shield was brought to England by Lt. Col. Yorke who was present at the action. Donated by J. Busby. 1940.5.100 [LM 21/03/2007]

Detail
1940.5.100

Posted In Military | Shields | Suspected Magdala plunder | The Plunder
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Dagger and sheath *

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Dagger and sheath linked to Magdala, but wrong date

Where: Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PP

Magdala is mentioned several times in the records, but they also say the dagger was collected by Hubert Berkeley in 1866, two years before the battle.

The catalogue entry describes: “Dagger [.1] with single edged grooved blade inscribed ‘ANDREA I FERARA’ (partly illegible). The silver-mounted hilt is bound in shagreen. With tooled and stitched leather sheath [.2].”

Pitt Rivers Museum box label – Hunting sword. Blade inscribed? Andrea I Farara. Magdala, Abyssinia. Hubert Berkeley coll. d.d. W.E. Berkeley. 1945.6.7 [LM 24/10/2007]

Related Documents File – 1945.6.1 contains a series of letters relating to the donation of Hubert Berkeley’s collection to the PRM. The first is dated 21/1/43, from W.E. Berkeley to Beatrice Blackwood, and mentions ‘trophies’ left to him by his brother, Hubert, that had been “hanging in our house Bruton Manor for the past twenty years”, as well as additional items Hubert had had at another location [illegible, Ch…jah?].

Detail:
1945.6.7 .1 1945.6.7 .2

Posted In Military | Suspected Magdala plunder | The Plunder | Weapons
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Sword with Arabic inscription *

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Sword linked to Magdala, but wrong date

Where: Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PP

Magdala is mentioned several times in the records, but they also say the sword was collected by Hubert Berkeley in 1866, two years before the battle.

The catalogue entry describes:

“Sword with single-edged, slightly curved blade, blued, gilt, inscribed with Arabic characters and incised with a robed figure and military regalia. The guard is silver with repousse designs, the grip of wood covered with mother-of-pearl and decorated with silver plaques depicting military regalia.”

The Accession Book entry reads: “June 1945. Wolstan E. Berkeley, late of Bruton Manor, Portishead, Somerset. Bequest. Specimens collected by his brother, Captain Hubert Berkeley. – Abyssinia, Magdala. Slightly curved sword, with engraved blade (human figure, crossed flags, and Arabic characters). Wooden handle partly covered with mother-of-pearl, silver guard. Coll. in 1866. (H.W.B.)”

Related Documents File – 1945.6.1 contains a series of letters relating to the donation of Hubert Berkeley’s collection to the PRM. The first is dated 21/1/43, from W.E. Berkeley to Beatrice Blackwood, and mentions ‘trophies’ left to him by his brother, Hubert, that had been “hanging in our house Bruton Manor for the past twenty years”, as well as additional items Hubert had had at another location [illegible, Ch…jah?].

Detail
1945.6.8

Posted In Military | Suspected Magdala plunder | The Plunder | Weapons
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A deacon’s cross

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A deacon’s cross taken by an unnamed British officer

Where: Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PP

The catalogue entry has no picture and simply describes it as a cross.

The Accession Book entry reads: “G. Department of Antiquities, Leicester Museums (Per B.J. Whitwell [sic] Esq). – Ethiopia, Magdala. Portable brass cross, flat and undecorated with handle of round section. Old label says “Deacon’s Cross, Abyssinia. Taken by British Officer at the Siege of Magdala 1868. Presented by the Very Rev. J. Cavalli”. Length 32 cm.”

Related Documents File – Note in RDF, dated 26/8/70, “6 specimens ethnographical material from the Ratcliffe College Collection given by Leicester Museum (Mr B.J. Whitwell, Dept of Antiquities)’; this item appears as ‘Abysinnia Decon’s [illegible] Abysinnia [sic]’ and on a separate list ‘Portable brass cross from Ethipoia, Magdala’ [MJD 09/09/2014]

Posted In Crosses | Sacred artefacts | The Plunder
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The anthropologist’s scroll

Published February 26, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A roll of parchment inscribed and painted with figures, more than two metres long

Where: Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PP

The catalogue entry has six pictures and describes: a “roll of parchment incribed in Amharic and painted with figures. Similar to other charms/amulets worn either on the person or on horses as protection from diseases.”

The base of the glass-topped box in which the object is currently kept is inscribed: “Long Himyaritic charm-roll, ABYSSINIA. Found at MAGDALA, 13 April, 1868. E.B. Tylor. Pres. by Lady Tylor, 1917”.

The Accession Book entry says it was part of the collection of the anthropologist Sir Edward Burnett Tylor, D.C.L., F.R.S.

It is not clear whether Tylor was on the expedition – his name does not appear to be mentioned in the official accounts – or whether he acquired the scroll from someone who was. 

Detail
1917.53.652
Dimensions: L = 2170 mm W = 75 mm

Posted In Manuscripts | Scrolls | The Plunder
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