Fang idiosyncratic biyeri figure 18 in. African Carving Start Price USD 49.95 Current Price USD 49.95 Time Left - Bid Count 1 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, September 03, 2008 End Time Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Location Denver, CO See more about 'Fang idiosyncratic biyeri figure 18 in. African Carving' Description Fang idiosyncratic biyeri figure 18 in. African Carving Type of Object: Carved sculpture Ethnic Group: Fang Country of Origin: Gabon, Equitorial Guinea, Cameroon Materials: Wood, glass beads, metal Approximate Age: Second half 20th Century Dimensions: Height is 18 inches Overall Condition: GoodDamage, Repair: Broken foot, old chips to top of crest colored (restoration possible-ask me.) Additional Information: This funeral reliquary figure comes from the Fang people living in a wide dispersed region of Africa below the equator. Living in the dense rain-forest environment the Fang live in small villages with relatively small-scale social structures defined by the family lineage and an economic way of life dependent upon transitional farming and hunting. Stressing continuity and relationships, the kinship system was to emphasize the veneration of ancestors which led to a number of sculpted art forms among the Fang. Each lineage's ancestors were located in family shrines where memorials or reliquary boxes known as byeri, containing their bones were under the care of an elder known as the Esa. Containers made of either bark or woven basketry were surmounted by sculpted figures that guarded the remains of Fang ancestors (Fernandez 1975: 723-46). Known as eyema-o- byeri these guardian figures were a point of contact for veneration of the ancestors and served to witness and validate the initiation rituals of young men. When not in actual use the sculpted figures were generally hidden from view. Normally Fang figures appear to be slightly crouched with legs bent in a seated position to rest on the container while others have a narrow stick-like extension reaching downwards from the buttocks. This enables the figures to perch on the edge of the byeri with their legs hanging over the side as though they were sitting. Photographed as early as 1907 (Tessmann 1913/1972, vol. II) the cult of Byeri began to lose its prominence after 1910 due to colonial government pressure. Recommended Reading: Binet, J. Societes de danse chez les Fang, Paris, 1972 Fernandez, J. 'La statuaire Fang-Gabon', African Arts, 8, No.1, 1974. Fernandez, J. W. and R. L. 'Fang Reliquary Art: Its Quantities and Qualities.' Cahiers d'etudes africaines, 15, No. 5. 1975 Perrois, L. Statuaire fang, Paris. 1972 Perrois, L. Sculpture traditionelle du Gabon, Paris. 1977 Perrois, L. and M.A. Delage. The Art of Equatorial Guinea, The Fang Tribe. New York. 1990. Tessmann, G. Die Pangwe, Berlin and New York. 1913(1972)**022079** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006 Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers! Please visit our About Us page. SquareTrade © AP6.0 PesaMember Place a Bid!