African Arts Gallery

This necklace of dried seeds, tubular beads, and a talisman from which two carefully carved heads appear, is a lineage charm that protects against enemies. It was carried out according to the instructions of the Nganga ngoombu and the sponsor of the object. Hierarchical and authoritarian, composed of fearsome warriors, Yaka society was ruled by lineage leaders with the right to life and death over their subjects. Hunting and the prestige that comes with it are an opportunity today for the Yaka to summon ancestors and resort to rituals with the help of charms. The initiation society of young people is the n-khanda , which is found in the Eastern Kongo (Chokwe, Luba, etc...),and which uses various charms and masks in order to ensure a vigorous lineage. Ethnic artistic productions have been ...

This necklace of dried seeds, tubular beads, and a talisman from which two carefully carved heads appear, is a lineage charm that protects against enemies. It was carried out according to the instructions of the Nganga ngoombu and the sponsor of the object. Hierarchical and authoritarian, composed of fearsome warriors, Yaka society was ruled by lineage leaders with the right to life and death over their subjects. Hunting and the prestige that comes with it are an opportunity today for the Yaka to summon ancestors and resort to rituals with the help of charms. The initiation society of young people is the n-khanda , which is found in the Eastern Kongo (Chokwe, Luba, etc...),and which uses various charms and masks in order to ensure a vigorous lineage. Ethnic artistic productions have been ...

The African art of the Bamoun, and the regalia associated with sovereignty. This ancient necklace of Bamoun dignitary, or Bamoum, is trimmed with 12 buffalo heads arranged on a metal strap with a clasp. This iconography symbolizes the values of combativeness and tenacity. When they sit, the members of Sultan Bamoun's court council wear this distinctive adornment of their function, the mbangba ,"mgba-mgba", which they say helps to strengthen their prestige and remove any evil power. Among the Bamoun, it is the fon, the head of the Kingdom or the chiefdom, who will offer this necklace to deserving men.
Total height on a base: 54 cm.

The Bamoun live in an area full of woodlands as well as savannahs. This large territory called Grassland in southwestern Cameroon is also home ...

African art collection put up for sale by Jan Putteneers.
This dogon sculpture, a traditional figurative jewel, adorned with a zoomorphic subject, accompanied the ceremonial dress of religious leaders, hogon, responsible for the cult of the lebe, mythical snake, and priests of the Binou. Small metal objects, made using the lost wax technique, were widespread in the interior delta region of Niger, with copper being made possible through trans-Saharan trade. Excavations on the Bandiagara plateau have uncovered remains of steel sites prior to the 15th century, when the Dogons arrived. In yellow copper alloy, this element of dogon tribal adornment has acquired a beautiful golden patina. Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste among the Dogon called rim . They now produce weapons, ...

Superb Dogon sun, patina and visible oxidation.

About this subject, there is a remarkable story, the traditional symbolism found there, this one is narrated by Philippe Doussin

That was very long. At the time the sky was close to the earth, so close that evening, mothers took down the stars for children to play with before falling asleep.
At the beginning of this cycle of mankind, men could get without any trouble (for Heaven and Earth are closest "Rights") in contact with the metaphysical (heaven), because they were in nothing different from the primordial man (the Edenic state, generally known among all peoples traditional "ancestor") in connection with permanent Being (and the Supreme Principle). Children born in this state already, and all spiritual ...