unknown Chokwe
Primary

Ngundja (Ceremonial Chair)

Late 19th century

24 1/2 in. x 12 3/8 in. x 13 1/4 in. (62.23 cm x 31.43 cm x 33.66 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• African - Refers to the cultures of the continent of Africa, which is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
• Angolan - Style and culture of the people of Angola, a republic (formerly a Portuguese colony) in southwestern Africa.
• carvings - Refers to works executed by cutting a figure or design out of a solid material such as stone or wood. It typically refers to works that are relatively small in size, are part of a larger work, or are not considered art. For large and medium-sized three-dimensional works of art, use the broader term "sculpture" or another appropriate term.
• Central African - Styles and cultures from a wide region of Africa that straddles the Equator and is drained largely by the Congo River system.
• ceremonial chairs - Chairs having a primarily ceremonial or ritual purpose.
• Chokwe - Refers to the culture of the Bantu-speaking people inhabiting the southern Congo and northeastern Angola. They comprise many aboriginal peoples and conquering groups of Lunda origin, and they speak a language of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo languages. They are hunters or agriculturalists, depending upon which region they inhabit. They live primarily in woodland savanna and strips of rainforest along rivers.
• metal - Any of a large group of substances that typically show a characteristic luster, are good conductors of electricity and heat, are opaque, can be fused, and are usually malleable or ductile.
• status symbols - Possessions or assets wthat confer prestige or are acquired as a symbol of high social standing or wealth.
• wood - The principal tissue of trees and other plants that provides both strength and a means of conducting nutrients. Wood is one of the most versatile materials known.

This object is a member of the following portfolios: