Collection of 20 Decorative and very Expressive Mudzini Reliquary Heads,Bembe People,DRC.
2nd half 20th Century
between 20,5 x 9,3 x 12 and 23,5 x 9,1 x 12 cm
1908
Vendu
The Bembe people gave a name to the statues of their ancestors. These ancestral statues were kept together in small sanctuaries in the houses. So, the Mudzini facilitated the contact between the living and the dead. They also acted as protectors of their family and the community. Some months after the death of a person, the remains from his corpse were dug up, and residues such as hair or nails were put into the Mudzini reliquary. These heads date from the second half of the 20th century.