A KUBA FRICTION ORACLE

ITOOM

Details

A KUBA FRICTION ORACLE
Itoom
Carved as a quadruped with incised interwoven and cross-hatched ornament on the body, flat smoothly worn back, twisted fiber cord for retention of friction device, inscribed NYAI/77 and 236./DH.44 dark glossy patina
11¼in. (29cm.) long

Provenance

Guillaume De Hondt, Brussels
Mrs. George W. Crawford

Literature

Olbrechts, F.M. et al., Tentoonstelling van Kongo-Kunst, Antwerp, 1937, no.236 (not illustrated)

Exhibited

Stadsfeestzaal, Antwerp, 1937

Lot Essay

The animal represented here is probably a hunting dog. According to David Binkley (in Art of Central Africa, Masterpieces from the Berlin Museum für Volkerkunde, New York, 1990, p.49) the hunting dog was believed important because of its ability to negociate the dark recesses of the forest and find hidden prey. This is analogous to the role of the diviner seeking truth through the manipulation of the itoom.

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