Small female figure

Description

light brown wood, blackened in parts, head turned to the left, eyes with porcelain inlay, tribe-typical scarifications, rep. (breakage base), slight traces of abrasion;
the Bembe live in the southeastern borderland of the Kivu province, forming a complex ethnical entity, in combining various cultural traditions. Only little is known about their culture and art. The most striking feature of Bembe statuettes is their lengthened body which is richly decorated with tattoos, marking the identity of the depicted person as well as her social rank.