Grave figure: Fragment of a seated dignitary · Ghana, Komaland, Sisili-Kulpawn area · ID: 3041375
Austrian Private Collection
Description
fired red clay, pigment remains, handle-shaped tube-like arms, adorned with necklace and bracelet, small head with bowl-shaped deepening, encrustations with clay, rep. (neck), acrylic base;
in several countries in West Africa, such as in Senegal, Gambia, Burkina Faso and in particular Ghana, low mounds can be found with varying diameters, that are surrounded by large stones. Archaeological investigations in northern Ghana have shown that they are grave mounds. Numerous grave goods have been discovered such as terracotta objects (figures of dignitaries, horsemen and animal figures), bronze jewellery, iron tools and small stone pestles. The site lies between the Sisili and Kulpawn rivers that are the two right-hand tributaries of the White Volta. Today, the Koma do not regard the builders of the mounds as their ancestors. They call the clay figures “kronkonbali”, which approximately means “children of the old days”. The unknown producers of the terracottas were certainly active participants in the long-distance trade that took place between the coast and the Sahel, as well as the Sudan belt. The replication of cowries, which originally came from the Indian Ocean, substantiates these contacts.
The object Grave figure: Fragment of a seated dignitary with the object ID 3041375 was last part of the auction 84th Tribal Art Auction at November 5, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 256 achieved a sales price of EUR 560.
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Expertise
Official Import and Export Papers available
Notices
This object is subject to the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Export documents are required for export (subjected to a fee).