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A pair of early 20th century Ci Wara head-dresses. Male and Female Antelope pair on wooden bases inlaid with brass. Geography: Mali, Bamako region Culture: Bamana peoples Medium:Wood, metal and brass bands, thread Dimensions:H 74.7cm incl base. H 64cm x W 14cm x D 4 cm. Age related wear. Among the Bamana, oral traditions credit a mythical being named Ci Wara, a divine being half mortal and half animal, with the introduction of agriculture to the Bamana. Bamana society is primarily an agricultural one; even today the majority of Bamana peoples are subsistence farmers. These headdresses, also called ci wara, are carved to honor that original mythical being. Under Ci Wara's guidance, humans first learned to cultivate the land and became prosperous and able farmers. When humans gradually became careless and wasteful, however, Ci Wara is said to have buried himself in the earth. To honor Ci Wara's memory, the Bamana created a boli, a power object in which his spirit could reside, and carved headdresses such as these to represent him. Ci wara headdresses combine antelope features with those of other animals that are significant within Bamana culture, such as the earth-digging aardvark or the armored pangolin. The animals are observed in nature to excel in actions that are also critical to the success of the farming effort and, therefore, Bamana life. The elegant and tapered heads of the sculptures, along with the neck, ears, and horns, are modeled on antelope forms. The lower part of the sculpture refers to the aardvark. These headdresses are also characterized by decoration with pierced openwork designs, which create an interplay between positive and negative space, and finely incised geometric patterns, which add to their texture. Highly collectable

2019 Oak Leaf 1 Oz Silver BU Limited mintage: 50000 coins worldwide Contains: 1 oz of 999.9 Fine Silver Package: Capsule, Certificate of Authenticity Obverse: Oak leaf Reverse: Bicephalous Eagle Obverse The design of the coin is devoted to the theme of an oak tree. The Germanic peoples treated this plant with greatest reverence, they worshiped the oak and believed that ghosts and gods lived inside it. It was also believed, that its fruits acorns, were responsible for fertility, which was one of the magical abilities of an oak tree. On the obverse we can find an image of a single beautiful oak leaf together with an acorn. Reverse The two-headed eagle is a symbol appearing in Roman mythology associated with Janus the god of all origins, guardian of doors, gates, passages and bridges, the patron of allied agreements and arrangements. Heads facing the opposite symbolize the past and the future. The lightning bolts held in the claws of an eagle are a divine attribute, symbolizing strength and the power of creation and destruction. With the Oak Leaf we present a refreshed image of the effigy of Germania Mint. *This coin is still sealed in its original packaging from the Germania Mint Feel free to send any questions regarding this piece Also, not available at this low a price anywhere else !