Horse skull ·  Nigeria, Igbo · ID: 3041412

Description

brown patina, pigment remains, remains of coating with wickerwork, min. dam., missing parts;
to the Igbo horses were especially precious sacrificial animals which only rich people could afford, even if for burial or for adoption of a title. Accordingly it is known, that in the context of funeral services for high-esteemed deceased a horse was killed and its skin used as shroud. Even during a ceremony, held for support of the so-called “horse title”, the ritual horse ride was followed by the killing of the animal. The horse skull, a sign of the high rank of its owner, was attached to the walls of the mens house or to the altar of the ancestors.

The object Horse skull with the object ID 3041412 was last part of the auction 84th Tribal Art Auction at November 5, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 297.

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Comparing literature

Eisenhofer, Stefan & Iris Hahner-Herzog et. al., Mein Afrika - Die Sammlung Fritz Koenig, München, London, New York 2000, p. 136