Statue Pomdo - Kissi - Sierra Leone

Kissi Pomdo Stone.
Estimated: possibly 17th or 18th century.
17 cm.
Sierra Leone.
Steatite stone.

Representations of women are rare.
And this one has a particularly elaborate hairstyle.

These statuettes are always used by the Kissi for ancestor worship but they do not carve them.
Most are found in the fields by farmers.
They belonged to an older people, likely the Sapis, and date back hundreds of years.
It is thought they were laid on the graves of ancestors or commemorated spirits.
Their excavation patina proves a long stay underground.

This one stands out for its details and realism.

Large piece weighing almost 1 kg.