Cameroon Beaded Shield - 78.1

 

Historically used as a defensive weapon in wartime and displayed as a decorative symbol of status and wealth by the Tikar people in Cameroon. Meticulously crafted, carved from one solid piece of Baobab wood, a sacred wood used for medicinal and ritual purposes for centuries, this large shield boasts hundreds of hand-placed beads on manila string in a circular pattern around a dimensional cluster of natural cowrie shells in the center. These decorative shields are one-of-a-kind, collaboratively crafted by a large group of people to make each piece truly unique and communal.

 

Size: 52cm H x 35cm W x 15cm D