Standing power figure "biteki" ·  D. R. Congo, Teke · ID: 3037103

Description

light brown wood, shiny brown patina, rectangular cavity with remains of magical substances, the face coated with striated scarification marks, the eyes inset with cowrie shells, rep. (breakages at both foot tips), cracks, traces of abrasion;
such protective and magical figures are used as a prophylaxis against sleeping sickness and other illnesses. In some examples the medicine package “bilongo” is missing. Such packages are often scraped out by the “nganga”, little by little, and sold as healing or protective dust.

The object Standing power figure “biteki” with the object ID 3037103 was last part of the auction 77th tribal art auction at June 28, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 525.

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