Rattle staff "ukhurhe"
Click here to view a larger version of the imageLot: 62
92nd Tribal Art AuctionRattle staff "ukhurhe"
Nigeria, Benin
Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
---|---|---|
Alfred W. Angst, Aeugstertal-Zurich, Switzerland | H: 29.1 inch | This object is not available anymore. |
wood, pigments, base
The shafts of most rattle staffs are bamboo-like segmented, which goes back to the "ukurhe-okho" plant, from which ultimately derives the name of these staffs.
The rattling sound of the staff and accompanying incantations are intended to attract the attention of ancestral spirits.
Ezra, Kate, Royal Art of Benin, New York 1992, p. 91 ff.