Twin figure or doll · D. R. Congo, Luba · ID: 3051115
Description
wood, glass beads,
Twins are sacred for Luba and Luba-related peoples; they are called “children of the moon”, and can be the harbingers of both good and evil. Twins must be honored and appeased through devotional songs, prayers, blessings, and gifts made every month on the night of a new moon.
If a twin dies, a small figurine is carved for him, which - similar to the Yoruba’s “ibeji” - is cared for and looked after like a child.
The object Twin figure or doll with the object ID 3051115 was last part of the auction Auction 103 at November 16, 2024 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 388 achieved a sales price of EUR 400.
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Comparing literature
Roberts, Mary Nooter & Allan F. Roberts, Memory, Luba Art and the Making of History, New York 1996, p. 66, cat. 18