Initiation object
D. R. Congo, Lega
sold
EUR 250
Provenance
Old Belgian Colonial CollectionSize
H: 17 cm
H: 6.7 inch
Description
bone (elephant?), surmounted by a conical knob, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion;
pegs in ivory or bone are widely used in higher initiations where small configurations of objects are displayed within a sacred fence. They replace porcupine quills used for the same purpose at lower grades. In the “kasilembo” rites pegs are used as percussion instruments, and in some other rituals they symbolize a spear brandished by an agressive person.