This figure was used in an ancestral cult dedicated to the founders of small political groupings. Such figures were usually kept in the same shrine with a number of stylistically related male and female carvings that represented ancestors. At times of crisis, the custodian of the shrine spent the night in close proximity to the images, bringing offerings to the ancestors in exchange for their support.
Date
1880
date QS:P571,+1880-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Medium
Wood, cloth
Dimensions
Overall: 48.6 x 15.6 x 17.2 cm (19 1/8 x 6 1/8 x 6 3/4 in.)
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