African Arts Gallery

Ex.Belgian collection of African art
This type of Fang sculpture embodying a prestigious ancestor was enthroned on reliquary baskets. Abraded patina, erosions and desiccation cracks.
Among the Fang of Cameroon and Gabon, each family has a "Byeri", or reliquary box, in which the bones of the ancestors are kept. These boxes were guarded by the oldest man in the village, the "esa". The reliquary boxes were topped with a statue or a head that acted as guardian of the "byeri" boxes. They were also used during initiation ceremonies for young people linked to the "So" society. The term Angokh nlo byeri means "head only of the ancestor", as opposed to statues. During the festivals, the statues were separated from their boxes and carried on parade, brandished like puppets.