Female figures from the Mende, Temne and Sherbro of Sierre Leone are usually carved for the women of the Sande Society for use in medicinal and curative rites. This use for the present figure is corroborated by the fact that it was brought to England by a nurse at the beginning of this century, bequeathed by her to her niece and thence to the present owner.

The unusually elongated form and incised circlets above the breasts are also found on a similar figure in the Victor K. Kiam Bequest, New Orleans Museum of Art, (Robbins and Nooter, 1989, p.149, no.261)