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7 UMMA Objects
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Standing male figure on a round base. The hands rest at the sides and there is a string of glass beads around the neck. The pupils of the eyes consist of metal and on each cheek is a 'V' shaped mark, while the hair is a tall oblong shape with vertical grooves. 
Yoruba (Yoruba (culture or style))
Male Twin Figure
1920 – 1930
Gift of Dr. & Mrs. J. Robert Willson.
1985/2.92

Bamana (Bamana)
Door Lock
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.244
All parts of this chest, including the back, were made from solid zelkova planks, a luxury wood related to elm but with a more pronounced grain. This specimen has escaped aggressive cleaning with modern compounds and retains its original patina. The dovetail joints between the lower front panel and sides and the back and side panels are superbly wrought. The iron lock plate in the middle of the front is fashioned into an auspicious character, bok (good fortune). The rectangular iron hinges and square supporting corner brackets are fashioned into Buddhist swastika patterns. The four arms of each swastika radiate out from the center like the spokes of a wheel, symbolizing the rotation of the universe around the cosmic Buddha.<br /> <br /> This chest was kept in a lady&rsquo;s quarter (<em>anbang</em> ) to store clothes. Marks left on the inner surface indicate that the chest once contained a shelf. The side panels, back panel, and bottom panel were joined by finger joints, while the side panels and top plate
Korean (Korean (culture or style))
Namhae Chest
1833 – 1866
Museum Purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund
2009/2.90
This Hemba <em>adze</em>, or chief’s ceremonial ax, is decorated with an elegantly carved female head upon the end of its smooth handle while an iron blade has been lodged into its oval base. This <em>adze</em> exhibits the characteristic hallmarks of a Southern Hemba style, which in turn was strongly influenced by the neighboring Luba. The head bears an elongated, oviod-shaped face, a wide convex forehead, coffeebean-shaped eyes within ocular recesses, a triangular nose, and full lips. An elaborate pulled-back hairstyle in the form of a chignon (<em>kibanda</em>), features a cruciform motif. Four brass tacks that have been inserted into the extreme top, bottom, left and right points of the face echo this crucifix shape.
Hemba (Hemba (culture or style))
Prestige Adze
1875 – 1885
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.225
This set of bellows features an elegantly carved male head as a finial. Sitting atop a cylindrical neck that has been pierced with a metal ring, the polished male head features an ovoid face; a high forehead with a vertical line; scarified lines across the cheekbones; and, a coiffure with a finely, detailed pattern at the front and parted down the center.<br /> The man’s “torso” is a trapezoidal piece of wood while two long iron rods functioning as handles represent his “legs.” A pair of round chambers—one on each side of his torso—would originally have had leather bags attached to them, allowing for the pumping of air to heat a fire or forge.
Luba (Luba (culture or style))
Bellows
1925 – 1935
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.217
Carved ax handle is comprised of a kneeling male figure with rounded knob on top of his head, into which the narrow end of a triangular iron ax blade is embedded.
Yoruba (Yoruba (culture or style))
Ax for Ogun
1925 – 1975
Gift of Bert N. LaDu, Jr.
2006/2.73
Wood-carved, standing male figure 40 inches in height. Its shoulders and torso are impaled with iron blades, nails and fragments. The torso is long, arms at side are bent at elbow and hands rest on lower abdomen. The right wrist wears a bracelet with attachments. The legs are truncated, with twisted metal anklet on right foot. The face is naturalistic, the mouth slightly open, the nose long and narrow with slightly flared nostrils. Eyes are almond shaped, may have had inlay that is now gone. The top of the head shows a tiered, "layer cake like" coiffure. The figure has a long and deep crack down the entire length of its left side, from top of the head to the left ankle.
Vili (Kongo) (Vili)
Power Figure
1845 – 1855
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.192
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