Cameroonian Wood Stool

Carved letters, or something like them, circle this stool.

Carvers in Cameroon, Central Africa, made this wooden stool in the 20th century. Stools are commonly associated with status and ceremony in the region, and carved ornament is common. The thick seat band carries a row of bold, rounded marks and glyph-like motifs, and an open lattice of struts widens toward a flared base with more carved marks. The wood is a dark, dry brown with grayish wear, and the open waist gives the piece a tall, lively profile.

About 14 inches high. The marks are not translated here, and that is part of the charm.