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Ancestral Shrine Figure: Kneeling Female with Vessel and Seated Figure
Not on view
Female figures were prominently featured at the burial sites of Kongo leaders. A chief’s passing was marked by the construction of an ancestral shrine (nzo a bakulu) placed directly above his consecrated burial site (mpemba). Centrally positioned among the precious artifacts he had accrued over his lifetime were wood sculptures of spectral male and female figures that underscored the social rank of the individual commemorated. Such displays were maintained as acts of filial piety to strengthen ties to an influential ancestor and secure their protection.
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