Songye ancestor statuette - DR Congo

Origin. Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tribe. Songye
Material. Wood, horn, copper. Beads
Dimensions: 45 cm including the horn
Shipping method. Colissimo, 24–48 hours

This statue appears to belong to the Songye artistic tradition. The Songye people are established mainly in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the statue displays several features found in Songye power sculptures, often referred to as nkishi (plural: mankishi).
The figure is anthropomorphic and distinguished by a highly expressive head: large, half-closed eyes in relief, a triangular nose, a broadly defined mouth, and a face covered with metal plates or elements. A long vertical horn rises from the top, accompanied by a small suspended conical element. Among the Songye, horns and cavities built into certain figures could hold ritual substances prepared by a specialist (nganga), which were considered essential to the object’s efficacy.
The body is relatively compact in comparison with the head. It also features attached elements: metal, red and white beads around the neck, metal nails or cabochons, and a substantial arrangement of small horns, shells or containers, and wooden elements around the lower part. This accumulation of materials is characteristic of certain power objects from Central Africa, whose function depended not only on the sculpture itself but also on the substances and accessories associated with it.
In its original context, an nkishi could serve purposes of protection, healing, or defense against forces considered harmful. Some large figures were associated with the collective protection of a community, while smaller examples might have been used by individuals or families. However, the precise meaning of the accessories depends on the ritual context of each object.