Luba (Baluba, Kaluba, Louba, Uruwa, Waluba, Warua), Democratic Republic of the Congo

Six divination figurines. The Luba inhabit the vast savanna, rolling hills, and scrubby forests of Shaba, a province of present day southeastern DRC. One million Luba people inhabit the entire southeastern part of the DRC, as far as Tanganyika and Lake Mweru. The splendid artistic achievements of the Luba are due to a felicitous intermingling of different racial and cultural elements, and to the high standards prevailing at the court. Luba arts counts amongst the finest that Africa has to offer and has had enormous influence over neighboring peoples. A new cult, outlawing the ancestor cult, has been the cause of an almost systematic destruction of their traditional art. These figurines are a part of the equipment of diviner. They present images of founding ancestress and those taken from mythology of the Luba people.

Material: bone

Size: H. between 4 ¼” and 5”

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