This figure depicts a tall, slender female of naturalistic proportions who is adorned with beaded necklaces and scarification.

Bwami ritual objects include figures and miniature nonfunctional tools carved out of ivory, bone, and wood.

A miniature vessel rises from the figure’s abdomen and is carved in the form of a gourd that has been cut in half. The figure, which is bearded and has minimal facial features, wears a necklace, armlets, and bracelets, and carries weapons.

The introduction of tobacco to sub-Saharan Africa in the 17th century inspired the creation of new prestige objects and leadership rituals. In the highly stratified Bamum Kingdom, which reached its peak in the 19th century, both men and women smoked t

On ceremonial occasions, a Pende chief carried an adze—like this one—over his shoulder. It is not an ordinary tool used to sculpt wood but an ornate version of the conventional model.