Bidspirit auction | Wooden and copper ceremonial tribal

Wooden and copper ceremonial tribal figure sculpture - Kota tribe, Gabon - Tribal ceremonial wooden and copper figurine, Kota tribe, Eastern Gabon, Africa, 20th century, made of wood and covered with hand-painted copper plates and coiled copper wire, height: 48 cm, 1 kg. Light wear.  This type of work is the first known example in Europe of a major tradition of relic sculpture that developed in Eastern Gabon. It was first collected by an explorer and geologist, who made several trips to the upper Ogooue River between 1874 and 1876. The Kota statues of Gabon are relic guardian figures created by the Kota people to protect and represent the bones of their deceased ancestors. These unique wooden statues, often plated with brass or copper, are placed on top of baskets containing ancestral remains and are used in spiritual ceremonies to connect the living with the dead. The figures typically feature a stylized diamond-shaped body, an oval or rhombus-shaped head, and a diamond-shaped handle, with some examples being double-sided to represent both masculine and feminine aspects.