code: 2024-II-GB

an old, in this appearance unusual, African tribal art object:

a carved wooden divination figure of the

Hemba People 

showing the typical Hemba hairstyle and beard,

stuck in a bowl / vessel made of black clay,

the vessel is filled with a semi-hard reddish substance, perhaps camwood powder / Tukula,

we can not say if the figure has legs, it might though,

as seen it is like a half Singiti - a Hemba commemorative figure, 

but maybe it should be called a

Bankishi - a magical fetish figure, or

Kabwelulu / Kabwe Lugullu - a divination figure used by the Bugabo Society,

the bowl has decoration along the inside of the rim,

total height: circa 21 cm / circa 8.2 inch

diameter of the bowl top: circa 16 cm / 6.3 inch

weight circa 907 gr.

age: early 20th century, or even 19th Century,

condition: firm and stable, signs of age and handling, at the rim of the pot you will see several chips, the sphere part of the bowl is fine - no cracks

- do see all pictures to judge the condition, they are part of the description -

provenance: an auction in The Hague of a private colllection of African tribal art,

please note: we are no experts on the subject of tribal art, we have done limited, unprofessional research, trying to attribute this object to a land, country, tribe or people and determine the use and age to the best we could, but please know it is only our opion, you might disagree - do judge for yourself, by looking close to all pictures, the tribal affilation and the correct age before buying or bidding - we are selling this item "as is" and we will not accept returns if the buyer finds that we are wrong concerning these matters.