Crescent-shaped container with lid

Description

wood, brass nails, “twool” (redwood flour),

The Kuba carve wood boxes in a wide variety of forms to hold small prized possessions (razors, feathers, beads, etc.). They often appear to have been used for “twool” (ground camwood from the heartwood of the mulombwa tree), which was used to adorn the face, hair and chest during dances and important ceremonies.

Since the contents of the boxes were very valuable, the boxes themselves were also lavishly decorated with beautifully and intricately carved patterns. The Kuba also expressed the same design preferences in their palm wine goblets, drums, textiles, pipes, etc.