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No.40 West-African Piggy-Back Figure

No.40 West-African Piggy-Back Figure

Wood

Origin: West Africa (Congo region)

Interesting facts: The sculpture depicts one figure being carried on the shoulders of another. The motif has many possible traditional interpretations: kings and chiefs were sometimes carried on the shoulders of dignitaries during inauguration  rites and other ceremonies of state. Girls undergoing initiation were also carried on the shoulders of a titleholder at one point during these transformative rites. The act was linked to the idea that a person in a state of liminality should never touch the ground.  Thus, such statues are symbols of the care needed when transitioning in any aspect of life. Rare.

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Wood

Origin: West Africa (Congo region)

Weight 5 kg
Dimensions 18 × 17 × 74 cm
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