{"product_id":"fang-janus-reliquary-heads-gabon-rohner-collection-157363","title":"Fang Janus Reliquary Heads Gabon Rohner Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eThese exquisitely sculpted heads are traditionally associated with figures and masks prevalent across a vast region spanning from Cameroon to Gabon and the Atlantic coast. While the specific function of this remarkable old carving is unknown, its intricate craftsmanship and facial features resemble figural images found on family altars, leading us to believe it may have been part of the Fang Byeri funerary cult. This cult utilized Byeri reliquaries to house the bones of ancestors and were revered through annual ceremonies, during which they took the form of sculptures. Dating back to as early as 1907 (Tessmann 1913\/1972, vol. II), the Byeri cult began to decline in importance after 1910 due to pressure from the French colonial government. In the past, these figures were often adorned with native copper bands and occasionally held miniature ancestor figures or carved animal horns known as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eNlakh\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e or small cups used in Byeri rituals to honor ancestors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"Polaris-Box\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_ActivatorWrapper_36nu6_55\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"PRODUCT.metafields.custom.height_in_-anchor\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_ActivatorButton_36nu6_59\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_RowWrapper_36nu6_4\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_FormFieldLabel_36nu6_30\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance: John R. Rohner Collection\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eRohner, a museum curator for decades, aimed his practiced eye for authenticity to African art beginning in the early 1980s. His passion for this art only grew through the decades he built his collection––always with an aim for a broad and representative array of pieces. The collection appears in his book, \u003ci\u003eArt Treasures from African Runners\u003c\/i\u003e (2000, University Press of Colorado). \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItem #190 on pg. 121\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eHeight (In): 15.5\u003cbr\u003eWidth (In): 7.0\u003cbr\u003eDepth (In): 4.0\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e157363\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"sku 157000","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52254291460391,"sku":"157363","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0826\/1015\/9911\/files\/IMG_2365_b793f157-f013-46bf-8bf7-725d8d16b9d2.jpg?v=1791318442","url":"https:\/\/africadirect.com\/products\/fang-janus-reliquary-heads-gabon-rohner-collection-157363","provider":"Africa Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}