This is old ivory carving locally known as “kalimbangoma”, it originated from the Lega tribe an ethnic group found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lega tribe art is created for primarily their semisecret associations of men and women, such as the Bwami society of the Lega peoples.
Lega figures were individually owned by the highest-ranking society members, they are the most coveted of all initiation objects. Each member of a sublevel of the highest Bwami rank owned an ivory human figure as a sign of status. This standing personage ivory miniature has a light brown patina, rows of coiffure in the mid-section, flat belly, concave face and shows signs of wear due to old age and natural abrasion.
- Material: Ivory
- Age: approximately 55-70 yrs
- Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Condition: Good
- SKU: CMI-077
- Weight: 0.1 kg
- Dimensions: 2.5 x 9.3 x 1.2 cm