A rock lined pit near Pendembu used for soaking palm kernels in the extraction of palm oil

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art. Visual details below describe the original material.

Donor notes read: "A rock lined pit near Pendembu used for soaking palm kernels in the extraction of palm oil. The kernels are soaked in the water filled pit then broken up by workers who stamp on the soaking kernels with their feet. As the kernels are broken up the oil comes out; it is then scooped out of the pit and placed in a large pot where it is boiled to eliminate excess water. In this slide the discarded shells of palm kernels can be seen at left. The fire which is used to boil the oil is in the background. This rock lined pit had a drain at the bottom which emptied into the nearby Mauwa River. Taken May-July 6, 1980. The date on the slide is JUL 80.".

Collection

Christopher DeCorse photographs

Archival grouping

Christopher DeCorse photographs / Sierra Leone

Catalog date

1980

Recorded places

Africa; Sierra Leone

Cataloged creator or photographer

DeCorse, Christopher R

Recorded subjects

Agriculture

Format and extent

1 Slides (photographs) (col.)

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