Superb head of the reliquary. - Fang - Gabon (No reserve price)

Reliquary head Byeri Angokh Nlo Fang
Art and Worship of Ancestors within the Fang Tradition
Magnificent Fang-origin African head, from a well-known ethnic group in Gabon. The Fang African artistic corpus is especially famous for its renowned figures (standing statues or heads), known as byeri, which are reliquaries intended to watch over the bones of ancestors.

In most regions occupied by the Fang, the byeri are full-body statues. However, there are some areas where the byeri are limited to a head mounted on a long neck, as is the case here. Whether heads or statues, the byeri were placed on top of bark reliquary containers holding the bones, protecting them from theft or sacrilege.

They regularly dedicated offerings and sacrifices to these pieces in order to activate their protective power.

The Fang byeri heads are specifically called Angokh Nlo. They are distinguished by their hairstyles, which are attributable to specific regions. Here, we observe a particular feature that is sometimes found: brass eyes.