Standing female ancestor figure "gheonga" ·  Gabon, Tsogho · ID: 3039722

Description

wood, light brown slightly yellowish patina (originally whitened), pokerwork, glazed eyes (right one missing), crypto fetish, incised scarifications, lozenge-shaped emblem on the breast, slightly dam., fine cracks (right wrist, back, base);
the rare statuettes of the Tsogho were used for rites of the “bwiti” society and for the ancestral cult “mombe”. The statuettes were kept in the mens house, together with all the other objects which were needed for the “bwiti” rites.