Old,African,MBETE,RELIQUARY,FIGURE,Gabon,NO RESERVE!!!

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Old,African,MBETE,RELIQUARY,FIGURE,Gabon,NO RESERVE!!! Description MBETE RELIQUARY GUARDIAN FIGURE Dimension 32"H x 7"W x 6"D Age Cracks 20th Century Gabon The Mbete claiming a Kota origin live in the middle part of the Republic of Congo near the frontier of Gabon and in eastern Gabon. In view of the shifting location of the peoples living in this region, it is impossible to retrace the precise history of the Mbete culture. Certain ethnological and sociological aspects of their life are relatively well known, and we know that the secret societies were numerous and powerful. The Mbete do not have any centralized political organization; they practice ancestor worship. They carved three types of sculpture: heads, busts and full figures. The latter are thought to have a connection with the ancestorâe(tm)s cult âe" they were either used as reliquaries or placed alongside ancestor bones in a basket. The massive reliquary figures, statues and masks of the Mbete are cubist in structure, the stepped hair-dress having clearly-marked gradations, and the face frequently being painted white. Heads and busts were probably positioned on poles and placed in front of the chiefâe(tm)s house. They may have had an apotropaic and emblematic purpose. Statues are provided with a dorsal, rectangular cavity, or the body itself may be in the shape of a reliquary chest. The relics could be set inside the statue. In this case the upper body of the statue is particularly elongated and the back hollowed out with a box-shaped cavity accessible through a small door held in place with a thread. It is thought that this would hold the long bones of hunters who had played an important role in tribal life. The arms are often fixed to the body and the hands and feet barely discernible. Old Mbete figures are very rare. The spiritual connection between the living and the dead is given physical form in these reliquary guardians: carved figures that reflect religious views on the cycle of life and death. The living family not only honors the dead with ceremonies and gifts, but through prayer and ritual, they consult the deceased on significant matters such as warfare, infertility and the prevention of illness. The traditional role of reliquary figures is to protect the ancestral remains which, in the case of the Mbete, were placed in the cavities car ved into the backs of the sculptures. Their religion is based principally on the power of ancestral spirits and it was believed that small bones, such as finger bones and pieces of the skull, retained the power of deceased ancestors. By preserving the relics, that power would provide protection and blessing for the family members caring for the remains. The sculptures are both symbolic and decorative but the true value and power is credited to the relics held within. This has allowed the removal of such guardian figures without upsetting the significance of traditional belief. We Ship Worldwide contact seller for more info we ship worldwide PLEASE CONTACT SELLER FOR SHIPPING RATES. *THIS ITEM CAN ONLY BE SHIP TO CERTAIN COUNTRIES* Andorra Luxembourg Austria Macao Azerbaijan Malta Belgium Netherlands Denmark New Zealand Finland Norway France Poland Germany Portugal Gibraltar San Marino Great Britain and Northern Ireland Slovak Republic (Slovakia) Greece Spain Ireland Sweden Italy Switzerland Japan Vatican City Canada USA Receive my Email Newsletters for Great Discounts!! MyStoreMaps improve local and international eBay sales. Payment Payment must be made within 7 days of end of action/sale. If you are bidding in multiple items,please wait un... read more

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