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.
Wood
Origin: West Africa (Congo region)
Weight | 5 kg |
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Dimensions | 18 × 17 × 74 cm |