Superb snake pendant. - gan - Burkina Faso (No reserve price)

Serpents and Genie Pendant Debira - Gan / Lobi - Burkina Faso
The representation of snakes is the central theme in metal art among the Gan. Also, to a lesser extent, turtles, caimans, chameleons, and panthers are depicted.

Protectors of family and cultures, snakes are ambivalent, representing both the day, light, good, transparency, and also symbolizing the forces of darkness, evil, and witchcraft.
The number of heads attributed to each object is proportional to the extent of its power, with each head representing a specific field of that power.

Spirals are symbols of eternity and are considered a sign of belonging to the royal family.

All these objects, which apparently belonged to high-ranking individuals, were kept in sanctuaries or buried.

There are some major families of objects:

Torfan, which is a spiritual entity possessing from one to ten heads, is possessed by the fetish healer. It helps him discover the sneaky side of bad people. Through his Torfan, the fetish healer will intervene to bring healing.

The Fanaga pendants, which specifically protect the Farma clan (one of the two families of the royal dynasty) and also watch over the king's movements, could also serve as protectors for hunters and musicians.

The Debira pendants, which have a more personal use, are the miniature expression of a Torfan. They protect their possessor from an impending danger.

Dekoggoro arm bracelets will protect the fighter's arm in close combat.
They can also predict the king's death depending on the side where they appear when they are excavated.

The royal Panama bracelet, shaped like a crown, represents the entity of the king.

The torques, which belonged to the large families, protected against the difficulties of daily life and illnesses.
Their importance and size suggest their belonging to court objects or regalia.

The bells, which belonged to spiritual leaders, were buried in secret and sacred places. They were only taken out for major ceremonies.

In addition to the animal symbols presented above, there are also anthropomorphic representations, shown alone or combined with animal symbols. These small bronze figurines embody the geniuses among the Gan.