Very rare large Pendé ritual box, DR Congo. The lid is fitte - Lot 64

Very rare large Pendé ritual box, DR Congo. The lid is fitted with a leather strap for easy transport. It is decorated with 24 stylized human faces in a continuous frieze around the wooden rim. Red beads are attached to accentuate the ritual dimension. An old crack is visible on one edge, testifying to prolonged use and natural aging of the wood. On the top of the box, four protruding carved elements form a structure evoking a "crown", reinforcing the idea of a high symbolic function, even royal or ritual authority. Among the Pende, such boxes were used as part of male initiation societies, notably "ibila" rites (passage to adulthood) and "mbuya" ceremonies (danced masks). They were used to contain objects of power: talismans, powders, mask accessories or the initiates' personal objects. This is an exceptional testimony to Pendé art and practices, both ethnographically and artistically. H: 55 cm Weight: 3000 g Weight: 0 g