Prayer staff finial
date: label: Date
content: 17th century
name: label: Maker
content: Ethiopian Orthodox
notes: label: Label Text
content: T-form finials in iron or copper alloy are fitted atop prayer sticks, tall wood staffs men lean on during lengthy church services. Church deacons also use prayer sticks to mark rhythm during sacred dances. Along with umbrellas, they also serve to delineate space during processionals.
label: Description
content: Cast copper alloy cylindrical shaft with three rings supporting a T- shaped top with cross base.
label: Provenance
content: Art dealer, Addis Ababa, -- ca. 1985
label: Provenance
content: Rémy Audouin, Paris, ca. 1985 to 1997
label: Exhibition History
content: The Earth Moves - We Follow: Celebrating African Art, Frank H. McClung Museum, Knoxville, January 10-May 18, 2003
label: Content Statement
content: As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
label: Image Requests
content: High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
place: label: Geography
content: Ethiopia
topic: label: Topic
content: cross
label: Topic
content: male
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African Art Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Museum purchase
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African Art
identifier: label: Object number
content: 97-19-4
objectType: label: Type
content: Sculpture
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Copper alloy
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 15.6 x 9.7 x 2.5 cm (6 1/8 x 3 13/16 x 1 in.)