Staff of office ·  D. R. Congo, Luba · ID: 3036599

Description

wood, matt reddish brown patina, traces of black paint and kaolin, round staff with pierced diamond-shaped ornament, top in shape of a flat triangle with incised linear ornaments and crowning female figure, slightly dam., sticky patina in parts, base;
Luba staffs are microcosms of Luba sacred and political landscapes. The long shaft of this staff represents the uninhabited savanna, while the lozenge and triangular sections are administrative centres. The female figure may refer to the king in whose honour the staff was created.

Comparing literature

Nooter Roberts, Mary, Luba, Milan 2007, p. 130, ill. 35