Kwélé, Gabon - Lot 114

Lot 114
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Estimation :
300 - 400 EUR
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Kwélé, Gabon - Lot 114
Kwélé, Gabon Altar figure, wood, pigment H. 38 cm × W. 16 cm (on a base). All Kwele ritual objects, carved from relatively light wood, served as emblems of status within the Beete initiatory society, which brought together community leaders and warriors. Through its rites, the Beete mobilized the community’s magical powers to resolve crises, ward off danger, or promote village life, particularly hunting. The beete objects were kept in a hut serving as a secret meeting place for the initiates, and these altar figures were its most important symbols. This is evidenced by the presence of the seat, which underscores the veneration due to the ancestor depicted, but especially by the pieces of wood taken from the surface of the seat, used as magical ingredients by the community.
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