Decorative ornament - Côte d’Ivoire - Baule pendant

Among the Baule peoples of central Côte d’Ivoire, personal adornment in gold such as this pendant often hold a special status as part of a matrilineal family’s sacred inheritance - a group of precious objects kept as tribute to a family’s ancestors. A pendant such as this one could have been worn around the neck on special occasions or arranged outside the home during ceremonies and festivals so that other community members could admire them. Figural forms featured on such ornaments often refer to proverbs and bear symbolic meaning: the coiled snake, for example, is considered a symbol of femininity and fertility. Provenance: Jean-Michel Huguenin Collection, Paris

Estimate:£921.34

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