Head sculpture ·  Gabon, Tsogho · ID: 3034861

Description

wood, brown patina, remains of encrusted blackish mass, rising from an elongated neck, a narrow face with closed eyes and open mouth (reminding of a deceased person), slightly dam., cracks, traces of insect caused damage, ears with drilled holes, one broken, the other one presumably rep., socle;
presumably coming from a reliquary ensemble. Like most ethnic groups in Gabon, the Tsogho venerate their ancestors by focusing on the remains of them, which are kept in a basket and surmounted by a half figure or a head as guardian of the reliquaries, a practice which is also common with the neighbouring Sango to the east.

The object Head sculpture with the object ID 3034861 was last part of the auction 73rd tribal art auction at May 25, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 326.

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Comparing literature

Lagamma, Alisa (ed.), Eternal Ancestors, New York 2007, ill. 99 f.