Hunting horn

While the source of the materials and the superb artistry of this hunting horn can be attributed to Sierra Leone, certain of its features suggest that it was made by a Bullom or Temne artist for a European client. The positioning of its mouthpiece, its suspension lugs, as well as the scenes of a European hunt carved in relief and most likely based upon European prints all indicate the horn was produced for export. This horn is one of only three surviving horns attributed to the same hand. The heraldic shields and inscriptions carved near its base by this unidentified master artist help narrow the dating of its creation to between 1494 and 1500 and identify it as a royal gift from Crown Prince Manuel I of Portugal to King Ferdinand V of Castile and Aragon.