Post figure "wundul" or "dumbun"
Click here to view a larger version of the imageLot: 311
88th Tribal Art AuctionPost figure "wundul" or "dumbun"
Nigeria, Wurkun
Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
---|---|---|
Dutch Private Collection (1970s) Mia van Bussel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium Beppe Berna, Bologna, Italy |
H: 17.9 inch | This object is not available anymore. |
wood, dark brown patina, partly encrusted, dam., insect caused damage, cracks, base.
The Wurkun are well-known for their pairs of male-female figures on iron spikes. Their function is to ensure the well-being of the owner and his family, with a special orientation towards the fertility of the crops. In most cases they were set up in the fields outside the teepee-like structure made of a grass mat, with a large pot for sacrifices nearby. Others were established on shrines within the owner's compound like the Chambas "tauwa" figures and, like them, were used for curing illness by divination.
Beppe Berna, Bologna, 130 T F