Anthropomorphic stone stela
Description
sand stone, incised cartridge belt attached to crossed chest straps, lichen growth, traces of clay and pigment, metal base;
the Arusi are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia, belonging to the Galla (Oromo), well-known by their memorial stone sculptures on graves. In traditional graves, there are at least four stelae in two pairs. One, a grave mound made of rocky debris. Trees or shrubs would grow between the mound and the stones. The outer side of the stelae facing away from the grave have scratch marks on them. In addition to these plate-shaped stelae are „silhouette stelae“ in the shape of a man, as seen here.
The stelae graves are reserved for the “killer” and heroes. He must at least have slain an enemy, or have successfully hunted down one of three species of big game - an Arusi lion, a leopard or an elephant. In addition, he must have fathered offspring (their number supposedly determined the number of surrounding stones). The right to a stelae grave is anchored in the “gada” system of Galla. Women, as well as men who hadn’t killed either enemies or big game, only received a white unpainted stelae, or had to settle for an unadulterated mound (Tumulus).
The meaning of the signs incised into the steles had been lost in the course of time. The Arusi reported, that they moved to the area only a few hundred years ago and took possession of the monuments from ethnical groups that resided there before.
The sites on which stelae were erected constitue places of worship where people met regularly to solicit protection from their ancestors through invocations and sacrifices.
Littérature comparée
Georg Gerster, Äthiopien, Zürich 1974, p. 282 ff.Publications
AHDRC: 0130425