Head stake "baathil" ·  Burkina Faso, Lobi · ID: 3037452

Description

heavy wood, dark brown patina, remains of pigments, rising from a long post-like neck, regular facial features, cap-like headgear, min. dam., fine cracks, traces of insect caused damage and abrasion, base;
such head stakes are meant as support for “khele”, a terrible power released by a killing. It is thrust into a mount of earth to form a “milkuur” shrine. The practice of carving a head without a body and sticking it on a shrine to symbolize the great power acquired by the murderers in the “milkuur” cult seems to originate from the ritual treatment that the Gan give the bodies of their kings and chief dignitaries. The bodies are always buried far away from the head.

The object Head stake “baathil” with the object ID 3037452 was last part of the auction 78th tribal art auction at October 18, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 192 achieved a sales price of EUR 5,000.

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Comparing literature

Bognolo, Daniela, Lobi, Mailand 2007, p. 136