Tiv Skeleton Figure Nigeria

The Tiv people of central Nigeria are known for their rich sculptural traditions and symbolic use of figural forms. This hand-carved wooden skeletal figure is a powerful and evocative example of Tiv-style carving, featuring an elongated body, exposed rib structure, and a stylized skull-like head.

Carved from a single piece of wood and showing a deep, aged patina, the figure emphasizes mortality and presence through abstraction rather than realism. In Tiv material culture, skeletal and figural carvings were often imbued with layered meaning beyond their physical form. According to regional oral accounts, figures of this nature were sometimes used as symbolic stand-ins for individuals, positioned to signify death or absence during periods of social tension and avoidance, including early encounters with missionaries and other outsiders.

Whether interpreted as a ritual object, symbolic sculpture, or historical artifact, this figure reflects Tiv ingenuity and the use of visual language as a form of cultural resilience. A striking piece well suited for collectors of African art, ethnographic material, or symbolic sculpture.

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