Mangbetu slotted drum, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood - Lot 60

Lot 60
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Estimation :
3000 - 4000 EUR
Mangbetu slotted drum, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood - Lot 60
Mangbetu slotted drum, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood H.35cmxW.73cm The beauty of its abstract form makes this instrument a sculpture in its own right. Mangbetu slit drums were played in groups as part of an orchestral ensemble including xylophones, gongs or rattles, during festivities or ritual ceremonies. Carved from very hard wood, these instruments produced a sound that could be heard far and wide. In the 19th century, the nedundu drum was played with a mallet in the court orchestra of the Mangbetu kings. According to Burssens (1992: 24), "it announced that the chief was drinking palm wine or beer during dances, and the drum was beaten whenever he visited another chief. "Prestigious instruments, slit drums of this type were also given to high dignitaries by Mangbetu chiefs "to invest them with authority".
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