Prestige axe (ibia)
early 20th century
Object PlaceDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Medium/TechniqueWood, iron, brass tacks
DimensionsOverall: 32.4 x 30.5 cm (12 3/4 x 12 in.)
Credit LineAnonymous gift
Accession number2009.5350
On View
Not on viewClassificationsWarfare, hunting, fishing
Collections
Iron knives, swords, and axes are more than armaments; they are powerful symbols of prestige and authority. Many weapons, including this Teke prestige axe, are intricately adorned with abstract geometric patterns, figurative elements, western-made objects, and copper accents, all of which are intended to increase the status of the object's owner. This axe is adorned with brass tacks of European manufacture.
Provenance1980s, acquired in Paris by anonymous donors; 2009, year-end anonymous gift to the MFA. (Accession date: January 20, 2010)
Unknown Native American, Ojibwa artist
late 18th–early 19th century
mid 20th century