Pair of "kundul" statuettes ·  Nigeria, Upper Benue, Wurkun · ID: 3046650

Description

wood, red pigment, iron, base

For “kundul” figures of the same artist see AHDRC 0101014.

The Wurkun are made up of a cluster of ethno-linguistic groups living in the Muri Mountains. Their “kundul” statues almost always appear in male/ female pairs, mounted on iron spikes, enabling the sculpture to be stuck in the ground.

They were used as protection and in divination. They were frequently washed with liquid clay, “fed” with offerings of millet beer or millet porridge and rubbed with oil which explains the thickness of the patina.

The object Pair of “kundul” statuettes with the object ID 3046650 was last part of the auction 94th Tribal Art Auction at March 7, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 282.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.