Bamileke Head Fragment of Votive Figure, Based

Two hollow eyes, a broad nose and a mouth that has been patient for two centuries.

This head fragment of a votive figure, on a base, is Bamileke, from Cameroon, Central Africa, dating to the early 19th century, 200+ years. It is stone. The Bamileke are best known for their wood carving and beadwork, but stone figures and heads also appear in the Grassfields, generally associated with ancestral and protective practices. The head is a rounded dome, with the face carved in shallow relief: deep oval eyes under heavy brows, a broad nose and full lips. The pale stone is crusted with dark brown patches. It sits on a black metal stand. It is 5 inches wide, 5 deep and 7.75 high.

Calm, weathered and unhurried by any of it.