Question

The drum was found by Kitchener’s army near Khartoum after the Anglo-Egyptian reconquest of the city. Once again it was re-carved — or re-branded — to make a political statement: near the tail of the bush calf Kitchener added the emblem of the British Crown. It was then presented to Queen Victoria.

Sudan was ruled as an Anglo-Egyptian territory from 1899 until independence in 1956. For most of that time, the British policy was to divide the country into two essentially separate regions — the Islamic, Arabized north and the increasingly Christian African south.

–A History of the World in 100 Objects,
Neil MacGregor

What historical time period does the slit drum represent?


Which piece of evidence best supports this conclusion?

Answer 1

Answer: The slit drum represents the Anglo‑Egyptian/European colonial period around the turn of the 20th century (the reconquest of Khartoum c. 1898 and Sudan’s Anglo‑Egyptian rule, 1899–1956).

Best supporting evidence: Kitchener’s army found the drum after the reconquest of Khartoum, re‑carved it with the emblem of the British Crown, and presented it to Queen Victoria — directly tying the object to British colonial actions and authority at that time.