Baga dignitary sceptre with anthropo-zoomorphic representation — Baga, Guinea — African tribal art — Ref. 181

Description

This ceremonial sceptre, carved by the Baga people of Guinea, presents a remarkable bird figure with a long, slender beak ending in a stylised pelican head. The lower part of the sceptre reveals a finely carved human face, with a serene gaze and a noble expression. This face is topped by a complex headdress decorated with geometric motifs. Beneath the face, sinuous motifs that seem to evoke the body of a coiled snake unfold along the sceptre. These scale-like features are important, symbolising regeneration, protection and spiritual continuity.
The choice of the bird, specifically the pelican, crowning the sceptre is not accidental. In Baga culture, birds are often regarded as messengers between the world of spirits and the world of the living. The pelican may represent a spiritual guide, allowing the dignitary to maintain a connection with the ancestors and spirits. The coiled snake beneath the human face adds a dimension of protection and fertility, as well as the capacity for renewal, due to its symbolism of regeneration. Associated with the earth and the forces of nature, this snake reinforces the sacred dimension of the sceptre, linking it to the spiritual forces responsible for protecting and blessing the community.
This sceptre was not only an emblem of power for the Baga dignitary, but also served in important ritual ceremonies, probably during rites of passage, blessings or prayers to the ancestors. Carried by chiefs or elders, it symbolised authority, wisdom and the spiritual connection with the protective forces of the community. As a ritual object, it may also have been used to invoke the blessings of protective spirits through the symbolism of the bird and the snake. The presence of these elements suggests that it was a sceptre used for major ceremonies, affirming the importance of lineage and spiritual continuity within Baga culture.
The combination of the bird, the snake and the human face, rare and precious elements in Baga art, helps make this sceptre a unique collector’s piece of great value for connoisseurs of traditional African art.

Technical details

Type of piece

Mobilier

Category

Traditional furniture

Ethnic group

Baga

Country

Guinée

Materials

wood

Dimensions

H 169 × W 20 × D 12 cm

Weight

3,6 kg

Estimated dating

second half 20th c.

Laboratory test

Not tested

Reference

181