Dan Double Spoon, Liberia, Based

One head, two bowls. Somebody was planning on seconds.

This double spoon was carved by the Dan people of Liberia, West Africa. The Dan are known for large ceremonial spoons, which are associated with women honored for their generosity and their skill at feeding others, though a double form like this is less familiar. A serene face with a crested hairstyle sits on a ringed neck, above a crossbar incised with a zigzag. Two long, shallow bowls hang below it, each crossed by pale marks. A metal stand holds it upright. 23 inches high.

Generosity, in this case, was built into the design.