Female figure "mwana hiti" ·  Tanzania, Kwere · ID: 3037183

Description

wood, dark brown patina, white string of glass beads, stool-like base with three feet, of typical form with “split” coiffure, eyes inset with white minature beads, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage, base;
the term “mwana hiti” relates to trunk figures common all over East Tanzania. Most famous are those of the Zaramo and the Kwere. Until the end of the 19th century their usage was multifunctional. They served as tips for staffs, tomb figures, stoppers for calabashes, ancestor figures, for decoration of combs and music instruments and finally as dolls for ritual purposes.

The object Female figure “mwana hiti” with the object ID 3037183 was last part of the auction 77th tribal art auction at June 28, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 552.

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