Description:

Africa, Burkina Faso, Mossi culture, ca. late 19th century CE. Three hand carved wooden slingshots (called a Potomo Wakas). One depicts a female figure with pointed breasts, spread out legs, incised markings covering body and face to represent scarification, wonderful abstract facial features, and a stylized striated or perhaps plaited coiffure. Another, quite interestingly, depicts the mirror images of a face or mask. The third is most abstract with no facial features delineated and nice incised geometric markings on the body. Such slingshots wereused by the Mossi people to hunt rodents and lizards and frighten birds away from the family's crops. Children of course used them to play. Size: Largest measures 6.5" H (16.5 cm)

Provenance: Estate of Peter Arnovick, Los Altos, CA. Mr. Arnovick was an avid collector and dealer of ancient and ethnographic arts from around the world.

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#112005

  • Condition: Normal surface wear to each. The faceless example has a large nick to the chest area and a small nick here and there. The female form has an old, stable fissure to the back and a chip to the coiffure.

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January 7, 2016 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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