Old Ritual Iron Anthropomorphic Figure – Mumuye – Nigeria

Height: 46 cm (18.11 in). Weight: 1,886 g (66.53 oz)

Forged iron Mumuye anthropomorphic figure, eastern Nigeria. The sculpture displays the elongated proportions and expressive abstraction characteristic of Mumuye artistic traditions: a spherical head with incised facial features, prominent ears, a long neck, and highly stylized limbs.

Particularly noteworthy are the coiled serpent motifs wrapped around the upper arms and thighs, elements that enhance the figure’s ritual character and visual power. The entire piece is hand-forged from iron, displaying a deep aged patina and extensive surface oxidation consistent with long-term use and age.

The figure possesses a striking presence, combining elegant verticality with powerful symbolic imagery. Works of this type were associated with ritual and ceremonial contexts, where anthropomorphic representations often embodied protective, ancestral, or spiritual significance.

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