Standing female figure "tadep" · Cameroon, Mambila · ID: 3043589
Italian Private Collection
Description
wood, brown patina, slightly encrusted, remains of pigments, coiffure with wooden pegs, dam., missing parts through insect caused damage (feet, forelegs), fine cracks, traces of abrasion, base.
Figures like this were commonly described as ancestor representations or guardian figures. Rather, it would appear to be a ritual object connected with a healing association called “suàgà”. The local name of such sculptures would be “tadep”. Usually these were male-female pairs. Together with other “suàgà” paraphernalia, they were stored in granaries.
The object Standing female figure “tadep” with the object ID 3043589 was last part of the auction 88th Tribal Art Auction at March 10, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 358.
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Publications
AHDRC: 0150583