Bowl-barrier Figure – Wood, Cauri – Mboko – Luba – Congo DRC

Beautiful wooden Luba Mboko figure with eyes from cauri shells. The statues representing a woman with a cup, whatever the position whether sitting, kneeling, crouching, symbolize a divination rite. The diviner, covered in white, used this type of statue. In this bowl certain objects could be found and by shaking the bowl and analyzing the new position of the objects the diviner could predict the future.
Good condition with a beautiful aged patina of use.

Provenance: former private German collection