A Luluwa sculpture of a male bust, from the hips upwards, the hands are touching the cylindric abdomen, a thin ringed neck carrying the angular shaped head, a thin mouth at the bottom, rounded nose, slit thin eyes in the middle of the large hollow cavity, a round marking in between the eyes that can be found at both temple near the ears, the hair is short , the top of the head is mounted with a ringed erected tail. The most intricate and detailed carvings are placed through out the bust, chest and arms of the sculpture, signs of keloid and scarification marks. Some large cracks, glossy by use, sings of use. Certificate of provenance. "The Luluwa people live at the crossroads of several major art-producing cultures: the Luba to the east, the Chokwe to the southwest, and the Kuba to the north. In contrast to the more public prestige-enhancing royal arts of their powerful neighbors, the arts of the Luluwa in pre-colonial times were generally privately owned. Nonetheless, symbols of authority, such as ceremonial weapons, staffs of office and leopard-skin skirts, are seen on many of the figures. The hallmark of Luluwa sculpture is a profusion of intricate scarification patterns that adorn the surface, preserving in sculpture a form of body art abandoned over a century ago. Luluwa figures referred to ancestral spirits who bestowed protection, good fortune, and beauty on their devotees. During pregnancy and childbirth, women tucked the small half figures that end in a point into their wrappers or belts for protection; after the child was born, the standing figures were placed next to the baby's bed to keep the infant from harm." Source: The MET museum.