Pair of figures "bateba thilkotina" ·  Burkina Faso, Lobi · ID: 3050328

Description

wood,

Such imposing male-female figure pairs were created for placement at shrines. According to Fagg, they represent twin spirits rather than married couples.

In Lobi society, immaterial spiritual divinities, called “thila”, are responsible for maintaining political, social, and moral order and and protecting the community from witchcraft and sorcery. The “thila” communicate through diviners they have selected as intermediaries.

If a person consults a diviner under certain conditions, such as a misfortune or illness, the “thila” may direct that a shrine figure be carved as part of the remedy. It is also they who determine the appearance of the figures and their size.

The object Pair of figures “bateba thilkotina” with the object ID 3050328 was last part of the auction 102nd Auction at April 13, 2024 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 145 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,400.

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Comparing literature

Bognolo, Daniela, Lobi, Milan 2007, p. 13, Fig. 3