Staff
Igbo
Description
Subject Matter:
This may be an ikenga-related staff. Shrine figures, called ikenga, embodied Igbo ideas of personal achievements and individuality. These figures usually belonged to men, as their form expressed ideals of masculinity: warfare, aggression, and physical accomplishment. Horns that project from the top of the ikenga signify strength and power, as do the weapons held by many figures. Around the time of marriage men would receive their ikenga and would honor them before undertaking imporant events. The face on the staff and the columnar body are similar to ikenga figures, as are the 'horns' formed by the two open, inverted triangles.
References Cited:
Cole, Herbert M. 2012. Invention and Tradition: The Art of Southeastern Nigeria. Munich: Prestel.
Cole, Herbert M. 2013. Visions of Africa: Igbo. Milan: 5 Continents Editions.
Physical Description:
Staff with a short, pointed handle. The top of the handle is surmounted by a rectangle with two inverted triangles. Underneath the triangles is a small face and a neck with four raised grooves.
Usage Rights:
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