D.R. Congo
Late 19th c.

Wood and brass tacks, 142 cm

Provenance:
Edouard d'Orjo de Marchevette (acquired in 1925)
By descent
Didier Claes, Brussels

Exhibited:
Art traditionnel: Exposition universelle et internationale de Bruxelles 1958

Scepters had many uses among the Luba: diviners used them to trace signs on the ground that needed to be interpreted, for kings they were an attribute of their authority, warlords displayed them as sacred signs protecting them from their enemies in the midst of battle, and court historians used them as mnemonic aids to commemorate founding events and the history of genealogies. The upper end of this non-figurative scepter is adorned with a triangular paddle decorated with incised waffle motifs in triangles and squares. At the center of the shaft, an openwork knot in wood bears a rich brass tack decoration. The iron point at the bottom enabled land chiefs to mark the boundaries of their possessions on the ground. It also allowed the scepter to be driven into the ground on certain occasions, attesting to the ruler's power