Rare trophy calabash, 19th century ·  Cameroon Grassfields, Bamum · ID: 3044774

Description

gourd, human jaw bones with teeth, animal tail and horns, rattan,
The Bamum kings regularly conducted wars and military campaigns during the dry season. This constant expansion increased the wealth and influence of the kingdom. This calabash, a gourd adorned with the jaws of slain enemies, would have been paraded in celebration of the victorious return of the conquering heroes.

The object Rare trophy calabash, 19th century with the object ID 3044774 was last part of the auction 90.I Tribal Art and 90.II Contemporary Native American Art at November 17, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 221 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,500.

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Comparing literature

Dagan, Esther A., The African Calabash, New York 1988, p. 112, ill. 96