ARTH 1130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Nkondi, Reliquary, Consecration
25 Nov 2018
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Document Summary
Fang bieri: sculptures, guard cylindrical bark boxes of ancestral bones, reliquaries, the figures have the bodies of infants and the muscularity of adults, combination of traits suggesting the cycle of life. Kota mbulu ngulu: guardian figures, large heads, bodies in the form of an open diamond, polished copper and brass sheets cover wood bases, gleaming surfaces were believed to repel evil. Shrine of eweka ii: shrine to the heads of royal ancestors, assemblage of materials, objects, and symbols, sacrificed animals, the king invokes the collective strength of his ancestors, done annually. Kongo nkisi n"kondi: only priests could consecrate these figures, power figures, could heal or inflict harm, embody spirits, simplified anatomical form, enlarged head. Dogon linked couple: carving, gender roles, protective man- quiver on his back, nurturing woman- child on her back. Baule bush spirits: many naturalistic aspects of human anatomy, enlarged necks, calves and heads, idealized for this period, carried by women hoping to conceive a child.
