Kota Mahongwe Reliquary Figure Custom Stand Gabon African Art WAS $390. 00
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:8312 | Maker: Kota or Mahongwe Artisan - Africa |
| Original/Reproduction: Original | Material: Brass |
Title Kota Mahongwe Reliquary Figure Custom Stand Gabon African Art Type of ObjectCarving, Figure, Statue, SculptureCountry of OriginGabonPeopleKota or MahongweMaterialsWood, copper or brass alloyApproximate AgeMid 20th centuryOther DimensionsHeight: 20 Inches
Width: 10 Inches
Overall ConditionGoodDamage/RepairOxidation, cracks and chips Additional Information:Ancestor worship formed the core of the Kota peoples' religious a...nd social life. At the death of a chief, parts of his body would be decorated with metal and rubbed with magical powders. These would be kept in baskets surmounted by stylized figures which the Europeans called "naja" because they resembled the head of an erect cobra. The figures were covered with copper or brass. At the time of the initiation into the secret society, each clan's chief would dance, holding the reliquary. The reliquaries were kept outside homes, and only the initiates of the lineage had access to this sacred place. The MaHongwe are linked to the Kota but have developed their own style often identified as 'naja', a European term of identification. The brass sheet and narrow strips covered wooden sculpture were known to the MaHongwe as 'osseyba' and placed on baskets containing the relics of ancestors and to venerate the deceased and recognized members of the lineage. They were used in an ancestor cult known as 'bwete' where the baskets were placed in temples in a village and would generally consist of two figures, one larger than the other. The larger represented the founder of the lineage and the smaller a descendent of the lineage. Sometimes they were 'janus' faced (that is having faces on both sides of the figure) and would represent the two ancestors on one figure. The formal sculptural presentation of the figures were often enhanced by brass sheets worked in a repousse technique (sheet metal worked by pressure from the rear to form a design) and by brass metal strips worked in design across the face of the sculpture. (See Kerchache et al's ART OF AFRICA)Numbering about 30, 000, the Kota share language and culture with a constellation of smaller ethnic groups living in Gabon and along the western reaches of the People's Republic of the Congo. All are identified through a common sharing of sculptural forms and ceremonies in service to a cult practice known as Bwete. The focal point of Bwete rituals are reliquary containers made of bark or basketry holding magical objects or the bones of ancestors. Among the Kota, Bwete reliquaries would be grouped together under a small shelter in the village metaphorically gathering the different lineages and clans in symbolic union. Highly abstracted guardian figures are attached to the top of the Bwete reliquaries depicting founders of the clan and important individuals. These figures also served to protect the relics from malicious actions of witches and malefactors and themselves were handled with care and reverence **119751** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006
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Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on eBay since 1997 and has received more than 51, 000 positive feedbacks. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with eBay's Hall of Fame award, and by eBay Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $125, 000 in charity auctions. Customer Service: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care! Handling Time: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours. Returns: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card. Combining Shipping: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order. When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card. U.S. Shipping: We use a professional shipper who has worked with us for ten years. He and his staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of his labor and the special packing materials he uses is reflected in our handling price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. International Shipping: We ship dozens of international orders each week, to customers on every continent except Antarctica! The shipping charges included in our listings are for U.S. orders. Contact us for shipping charges to your country. We offer uninsured USPS First Class airmail, insured Priority airmail, and insured Express airmail to most parts of the world, depending on the weight, volume, and value of an item. We also ship via FedEx or DHL on request. Import duties, taxes, and charges are NOT INCLUDED in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding / buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up -- do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. And please do not ask us to mark merchandise values below the actual value or mark items as "gifts"--U.S. and International government regulations prohibit such behavior. Newsletter, previews and special offers: Sign up for our newsletterGo to Africa Direct Store
Width: 10 Inches
Overall ConditionGoodDamage/RepairOxidation, cracks and chips Additional Information:Ancestor worship formed the core of the Kota peoples' religious a...nd social life. At the death of a chief, parts of his body would be decorated with metal and rubbed with magical powders. These would be kept in baskets surmounted by stylized figures which the Europeans called "naja" because they resembled the head of an erect cobra. The figures were covered with copper or brass. At the time of the initiation into the secret society, each clan's chief would dance, holding the reliquary. The reliquaries were kept outside homes, and only the initiates of the lineage had access to this sacred place. The MaHongwe are linked to the Kota but have developed their own style often identified as 'naja', a European term of identification. The brass sheet and narrow strips covered wooden sculpture were known to the MaHongwe as 'osseyba' and placed on baskets containing the relics of ancestors and to venerate the deceased and recognized members of the lineage. They were used in an ancestor cult known as 'bwete' where the baskets were placed in temples in a village and would generally consist of two figures, one larger than the other. The larger represented the founder of the lineage and the smaller a descendent of the lineage. Sometimes they were 'janus' faced (that is having faces on both sides of the figure) and would represent the two ancestors on one figure. The formal sculptural presentation of the figures were often enhanced by brass sheets worked in a repousse technique (sheet metal worked by pressure from the rear to form a design) and by brass metal strips worked in design across the face of the sculpture. (See Kerchache et al's ART OF AFRICA)Numbering about 30, 000, the Kota share language and culture with a constellation of smaller ethnic groups living in Gabon and along the western reaches of the People's Republic of the Congo. All are identified through a common sharing of sculptural forms and ceremonies in service to a cult practice known as Bwete. The focal point of Bwete rituals are reliquary containers made of bark or basketry holding magical objects or the bones of ancestors. Among the Kota, Bwete reliquaries would be grouped together under a small shelter in the village metaphorically gathering the different lineages and clans in symbolic union. Highly abstracted guardian figures are attached to the top of the Bwete reliquaries depicting founders of the clan and important individuals. These figures also served to protect the relics from malicious actions of witches and malefactors and themselves were handled with care and reverence **119751** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006
Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers!
Please visit our About Us page.
Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on eBay since 1997 and has received more than 51, 000 positive feedbacks. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with eBay's Hall of Fame award, and by eBay Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $125, 000 in charity auctions. Customer Service: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care! Handling Time: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours. Returns: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card. Combining Shipping: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order. When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card. U.S. Shipping: We use a professional shipper who has worked with us for ten years. He and his staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of his labor and the special packing materials he uses is reflected in our handling price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. International Shipping: We ship dozens of international orders each week, to customers on every continent except Antarctica! The shipping charges included in our listings are for U.S. orders. Contact us for shipping charges to your country. We offer uninsured USPS First Class airmail, insured Priority airmail, and insured Express airmail to most parts of the world, depending on the weight, volume, and value of an item. We also ship via FedEx or DHL on request. Import duties, taxes, and charges are NOT INCLUDED in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding / buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up -- do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. And please do not ask us to mark merchandise values below the actual value or mark items as "gifts"--U.S. and International government regulations prohibit such behavior. Newsletter, previews and special offers: Sign up for our newsletterGo to Africa Direct Store
