A couple of Moba bone figures. The Moba people of northern Ghana, particularly around the areas of Bongo and the Upper East Region, produce carved figures in various materials, including wood, iron, and occasionally bone. The bone figures are relatively rare compared to wooden or iron sculptures and tend to be small, portable objects often associated with ritual or protective functions. They are typically carved from the long bones of large animals, which are carefully shaped and sometimes polished, with incised details indicating facial features, limbs, or symbolic markings. These figures are often used as charms or mediators between the human and spiritual realms. They can serve as protective talismans within households or as elements in divination and healing practices. Their form is generally schematic, emphasizing essential human or animal features rather than naturalistic detail, in line with the Moba aesthetic that privileges symbolic potency over mimetic representation. Chronologically, bone figures are difficult to date precisely, but stylistically they are consistent with 19th- and 20th-century Moba ritual objects. Their survival into contemporary collections is limited, as bone is less durable than wood or iron, and many ritual figures are periodically renewed or ritually destroyed. For further reference, one might consult Paul Stoll’s studies on Upper East Ghanaian material culture and Lorna B. Longhurst’s notes on Moba and Konkomba ritual objects. "I believe that the import of all art objects from Africa—whether copies or originals—should be prohibited to protect Africa." Quote: Prof. Dr. Viola König, former director of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin, now HUMBOLDTFORUM Legal Framework Under the 1970 UNESCO Convention in combination with the Kulturgutschutz Gesetz (KGSG) any claim for the restitution of cultural property becomes time-barred three years after the competent authorities of the State of origin obtain knowledge of the object’s location and the identity of its possessor. All bronzes and terracotta items offered have been publicly exhibited in Wolfgang Jaenicke Gallery since 2001. Organisations such as DIGITAL BENIN and academic institutions such as the Technical University of Berlin, which have been intensively involved in restitution-reseaches (translocation-project) over the past seven years, are aware of our work, have inspected large parts of our collection and have visited us in our dependance in Lomé, Togo, among other places, to learn about the international Art trade on site. Furthermore, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in Abuja, Nigeria, has been informed about our collection. In no case in the past have there been restitution claims against private institutions such as the Wolfgang Jaenicke Gallery Our Gallery addresses these structural challenges through a policy of maximum transparency and documentation. Should any questions or uncertainties arise, we invite you to contact us. Each matter will be reviewed diligently using all available resources. CAB25660 Height: 17 cm / 17 cm Weight: 200 g / 200 g