Fetish figure - Moba - Togo - Tchicheri

A Moba figurine couple, carved of bone,

22 cms

Also called Tschitscheri, Northern Togo, one of the sculptures has a nearly invisible repair, certificate of origin and provenance.

There are three types of Tschitcheri: Yendu, the smallest, Bawoong, the medium sized and Skawa, the largest of this type. Carving these figures is considered difficult and is only done by a master carver.
Lit.: Erwin Melchardt: Moba, Togo: an ancestral and protective figure, ‘tchitcheri’. Schädler: Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture.

1. Materials: The term "tschitscheri" refers specifically to sculptures carved from bone, often taken from domestic animals such as cattle, goats, or antelopes The use of bone adds a natural, tactile element to the sculptures, which were often highly polished or stained to enhance their aesthetic