179. Reliquary figure (byeri). Fang peoples (southern Cameroon). c. 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood.

• Form
  • Feet dangling over the rim, a gesture of protecting the contents
  • Prominent belly button and genitals emphasize life; the prayerful gesture and somber look emphasize death
  • Emphasis on the head and the tubular nature of the body
• Function
  • Such figures were placed on top of cylinder-like containers made of bark that held skulls and other bones of important clan leaders
  • The reliquary figure guards the head box against the gaze of women or young boys
• Context
  • The surfaces were ritually rubbed with oils to add luster and protect against insects
  • Byeri figures are composed of characteristics the Fang people place a high value on: tranquility, introspection, and vitality.
  • The Fang people were nomadic; these figures were made to be portable.
  • The abstraction of the human body is an attraction for the early-twentieth-century artists.