Topoke Rattan Shield, Democratic Republic of Congo

A dark upright block, finely ribbed all over with a pale split down the middle

This shield is Topoke, from Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the early 20th century. It is palm bark & rattan. Shields often served as identification, because most peoples had distinct designs and shapes that friend and foe could recognize from far away, much as flags do, and some patterns indicated rank. A tall rectangular panel with a dense surface of fine horizontal ridges and a pale band across the center. A crack runs near the lower edge. The color is a very dark brown, a little dusty in places. It is 19.25 inches wide, 5.5 deep and 41 high.

Plain, grave and covered in tiny, careful lines.