Female protective figure "ihambe"

Description

wood, greyish brown patina, traces of kaolin, a high towering figure with elongated body and a striking small head, radial arranged incisions at the corners of the mouth, slightly dam., missing parts through insect caused damage (base), traces of weathering, on metal plate;
the Tiv don’t have masks, but figures which are called “ihambe” and which have not been made since the beginning of the century and which differentiate in two different styles “the post style” and “the realistic style”. Present figure belongs to the first group.