A Kandyan shaman in full costume. Process print.

A Navajo medicine man. Photograph by Edward S. Curtis, 1904.

An African shaman and rain-maker in his/her ritual costume. Wood engraving.

A Maiduguri medicine man or shaman, Nigeria. Halftone after a photograph attributed to O.S.M. Temple.

Minusinsk, Siberia: a Tartar medicine man or shaman in ceremonial dress with a covered face, holding a drum. Photograph, ca. 1920 (?) of a photograph, 1900/1915.

Siberia: an Ostiak medicine man wearing animal skins and with a shield: studio portrait: side view. Photograph, ca. 1920 (?) of a photograph by Marya Czaplicka, 1914/1915.

A shaman or medicine man from the Lower Congo. Colour process print after N.H. Hardy.

A Zulu medicine man or shaman. Halftone.

A shaman banging a drum and dancing invoke spirits to cure a sick man. Engraving by S. Davenport.

A shaman singing and beating a drum. Halftone.

The prophecy of Masuka: an African medicine man or shaman of the Nkose watching the future in a bowl. Painting by Stanley Wood, 1894.

A Zulu medicine man or shaman performing a ritual to fend off a hailstorm, South Africa. Halftone after Trappist Mission, Natal.

1 process print : halftone ; image 12.8 x 7.1 cm

A Zulu medicine woman or shaman practising in Basutoland, South Africa. Halftone after a photograph by L. Fairclough.

1 photograph : photoprint ; sight 118.5 x  88.5 cm

South Africa: a Zulu medicine man. Photograph by L. Cipriani.

1 process print : halftone ; image 13.8 x 8.2 cm

A Liberian medicine man or shaman, West Africa. Halftone.

1 painting : oil on canvas ; canvas 37 x 31 cm

A Native American medicine man. Oil painting.

1 photograph : photoprint ; sheet 10.9 x 8.4 cm

Siberia: a Tungus medicine man in ceremonial dress, standing holding a drum. Photograph, ca. 1920 (?) of a photograph by Marya Czaplicka, 1914/1915.

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

It's not possible to book tickets for events at present due to a problem with the ticketing system. We're working to fix it. You can still search and check information about events but please try again later if you want to book a ticket.

We're running paid user research studies to improve Wellcome Collection online

Take part in research

Archive collection level pages, plus the archive collection treatment on the work page and in search results.

The catalogue API's shortDescription is shown on the archive collection hero and in search results.

Archive collection

Clicking an image opens its details in a sidebar instead of a modal, with the selected image highlighted in the grid.

Updated image results grid and a re-sizable viewing pane.

Larger thumbnail, plus key information and onward journey in the sidebar.

Image sidebar preview

The three thematic browsing category pages (subjects, people & organisations, types & techniques) become accessible.

Subject sub-category pages become accessible, and the subjects category page gains a sub-category menu.

Shamans

Images from the collections

Images referencing Shamans

Works from the collections

A Zulu medicine woman or shaman practising in Basutoland, South Africa. Halftone after a photograph by L. Fairclough.

South Africa: a Zulu medicine man. Photograph by L. Cipriani.

A Liberian medicine man or shaman, West Africa. Halftone.

A Native American medicine man. Oil painting.

Siberia: a Tungus medicine man in ceremonial dress, standing holding a drum. Photograph, ca. 1920 (?) of a photograph by Marya Czaplicka, 1914/1915.

Shamans

Images from the collections

Images referencing Shamans

Works from the collections

A Zulu medicine woman or shaman practising in Basutoland, South Africa. Halftone after a photograph by L. Fairclough.

South Africa: a Zulu medicine man. Photograph by L. Cipriani.

A Liberian medicine man or shaman, West Africa. Halftone.

A Native American medicine man. Oil painting.

Siberia: a Tungus medicine man in ceremonial dress, standing holding a drum. Photograph, ca. 1920 (?) of a photograph by Marya Czaplicka, 1914/1915.

Related topics