North America

Animal-shaped pipes, clothing, carved posts and pottery bring different scales of making into the North America gallery. The displays follow Native North American societies from ancient times to the present, including the effects of colonisation and the continuation of cultural identities. The Akan drum adds a history crossing the Atlantic. Made with African materials and techniques, it was acquired in colonial Virginia before entering Hans Sloane’s collection. Its wooden body, skin head and cords belong to an Akan making tradition. The complete earlier chain of ownership remains uncertain. That journey gives the drum a particular place here. The room also contains objects rooted in distinct Native communities, whose names and places help you understand their uses. Attend to those differences while comparing the materials and forms in the cases.