Reliquary guardian figure "mbulu" or "mwete" ·  Gabon, Kota · ID: 3036264

Description

wood, metal sheet and tags, typical sickle-shaped coiffure and projections on both sides, the neck merging into a diamond-shaped handle, rep. (breakages at the coiffure), missing parts through insect caused damage, base;
the Kota used to fix these stylized head sculptures on top of boxes containing the skulls and bones of important ancestors. They should protect the valuable contents. Housed on a shelf outside the village, the figure was carefully polished with sand to maintain its shining surface which should keep sorcerers away.