DART POISON BOTTLE

Object/Artifact

St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

DART POISON BOTTLE

Entry/Object ID

414/10396

Description

SEWN/STOPPER IN NARROW END/BRASS RING INSIDE CORK/USED FOR POISON FOR DARTS

Collection

ETHNOGRAPHIC/AFRICA

Made/Created

Place

Continent

Africa

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Country

Cameroon

Region

West Africa

Continent

Africa

Culture/Tribe

Kamerun

African

Lexicon

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

SKIN

Parts

Count

Material

RAWHIDE

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Research Notes

Research Type

Researcher

Notes

Bottle for poison darts. Poison would be kept in the bottle, which would be strung around the neck for the darts to be dipped into. Snake venom, poisonous plants, spiders, toads were all used to create the poisons. In Kalahari, the most commonly used poison was derived from the larva and pupae of Chrysomelid beetles. Poison darts and arrows were highly effective hunting weapons, bringing down elephants, and military weapons. The poison arrows utilized during the late 19th century were some of the most effective weapons against the Europeans, even with the Europeans using guns and cannons.