Lot 929, Fang Reliquary Figure, Gabon
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Reliquary firgures carved to stand above basket or barkclith receptacles containing the bones of ancestors are common among the Bakota and Fang of Gabon. Some are also found among the Ambete to the south of the Bakota, but are rarely found among tribes in other areas. The figures do not represent the ancestors themselves; rather, they are the guardians of the bones, placed there to ward off evil which might desecrate the ancestral remains. In this area of Africa, nearly all groups venerated the relics of ancestors, which they kept in containers with other collected objects that impart power (shells, animal hide, horn, wood.) It is believed that the bones of the deceased were imbued with the power that the ancestor had during their lifetime, and it was believed that these powers could be drawn upon to help the living. Consultation of ancestral relics preceded all significant events. The container holding the bones and other magical substances was often surmounted by a carved head or figure (reliquary). The construction and shape of the reliquaries took different forms among the different groups, but the function was generally similar. In modern day these figures are normally displayed unadorned and cleaned, however traditionally they were often adorned with feathers and collars when not in use. These reliquaries were also given
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