Horse brass

Date: 1901-1910

Accession number: NN3293

Material: brass

Measurements: whole: 117 x 84 x 7 mm

The border of this horse brass is engraved with the declaration 'One Great African Nation under the British Flag.' The centre is decorated with the bust of a male statesman. It may have been created to commemorate the Boer War in which Britain gained power in South Africa. European nations took part in a so-called 'Scramble for Africa' during the last 20 years of the 19th century. This involved taking control of areas of Africa for reasons of economic gain and national prestige. Some Europeans also believed that it was their duty to 'civilise' Africans by teaching them European ways and by converting them to Christianity. This moral mission was named the 'white man's burden'.
Horse brass with writing around the outside and a bust of a man in a suit in the centre.
Horse brass with writing around the outside and a bust of a man in a suit in the centre.
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