Beadwork snake, 1918

Inscribed on the underside, 'TURKISH PRISONER 1918'.

This snake is made from crocheted beadwork and is stuffed with horsehair, cotton or cloth. Turkish prisoners of the British produced this type of beadwork during the First World War (1914-1918). A camp on the Isle of Mann held 100 Turkish prisoners, but Turkish prisoners were also held in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. Such items could be traded or sold, as well as being a device to relieve the boredom of imprisonment.