– 193 –
Early shrine figure „ikenga“,
19th century
wood, pigments, sacrificial traces,
rest., base
Ikenga (= „Place of Strength“) sym-
bolizes the Igbo adult male‘s aggres-
siveness and drive to achievement
and success in all areas of life. Before
undertaking a venture requiring eco-
nomic skills or physical prowess the
owner makes sacrificial offerings to
the „ikenga“. This act of worship as-
sures him the power to accomplish
his goal.
A striking and rare feature of this fi-
gure is the carved heads that encircle
the main head of the „ikenga“. They
appear to concentrate the power of
the ancestors. For a comparable figu-
re, see AHDRC 0093427.
H: 66 cm
Provenance
British Collection
German Private Collection
Dorotheum, Vienna, Austria,
4 December 2018, lot 81
Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, Ger-
many, 16 November 2019, lot 197
€ 4.500 - 9.000