Ceremonial staff "rekade" · Benin, Fon · ID: 3034671
Description
wood, dark brown patina, crowned by a dog head, partly stud with metal sheet, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, metal socle;
“rekades” developed from war axes. The “rekade” symbolizes the authority of its owner. The messenger of the king carried the veiled staff on his shoulder, first uncovering it in presence of the receiver of the message, in order to seal the dispatch.
The object Ceremonial staff “rekade” with the object ID 3034671 was last part of the auction 73rd tribal art auction at May 25, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 222.
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Comparing literature
Robbins, Warren M., Ingram Nooter, Nancy, African Art in American Collections, 1989, p. 208