Dance wand "oshe shango", around 1850 / 60

Description

wood, pigments, heavily encrusted sacrificial patina, missing parts, base

Masterfully executed dance staff with standing female figure.

She is richly decorated, wearing belt and necklace. The latter with two amulet pendants, of which the one hanging down on the back originally shows a face (possibly “eshu”). She is covered with a layer of thickly encrusted sacrificial patina, indicating a long use in the cult. Her hairstyle probably originally swang backwards in a curved plait. She wears a particularly massive double-axe symbol on her head.