Dance staff "eshu"

Description

wood, dark brown patina, habile handle, carved with a kneeling figure with beard and cantilevered “eshu”-lobe, the body concealed by long strings of cowrie shells, with seed capsules and bells inbetween, leather straps, slightly dam., on base;
the figure probably had a female counterpart to which it was attached by a long strap, and was worn around the neck by female devotees of “eshu”, with its head hanging down. When not in use, such figures were hung upside down and partly concealed behind the strings of cowrie shells hanging on the wall in an “eshu” shrine.

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