A LARGE BAGA BANSONYI SNAKE, WESTERN GUINEA.

Second third of the 20th century, The surface is carved with deeply incised triangular and lozenge-shaped motifs painted in white and dark pigment, following the sinuous curve of the piece from head to tail, with a strong central ridge and alternating scale patterns running the length of its spine. 212cm high 34cm wide

Provenance - Private UK Collection,

Note - For Similar examples see Woolley & Wallis Lot 67 10th February 2015.

Note - This object represents the Bansonyi or Bansonyé, the sacred serpent spirit of the Baga, associated with fertility, rainfall, protection, and ancestral reverence. These large snake sculptures were used in initiation ceremonies, harvest rites, and communal dances, often carried horizontally on the shoulders of several men. Their imposing size and bold geometric decoration conveyed the cosmic power and watchfulness of the ancestral spirits they embodied.