Fertility doll · Cameroon, Namchi · ID: 3041028
sold
EUR 800
Provenance
collected in situ (1970’s)Size
H: 28 cm
H: 11.0 inch
Description
wood, brown patina, eyes inset with beads, adorned with bead jewellery, min. dam., fine cracks, slight traces of abrasion, base;
among the Namchi, unadorned dolls made by blacksmiths are young girl’s playthings. When beads, bells and coins are added, however, the doll becomes a surrogate baby for a woman who is having difficulty in getting pregnant. The woman treats the figure like a newborn. She feeds it gruel and carries it on her back, as a mother would a child.