Cleveland Museum of Art

Stool

Date

before 1929

Medium

wood

Culture

Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nyanga, early 20th Century

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Carved from a single piece of wood, Nyanga stools like this were multipurpose and took on different meanings depending on their use. Shaped like a curved hourglass, the shiny, patinated surface is textured with incised geometric designs. One use was for young male initiates to sit on as they received gifts from relatives following circumcision rites. The stools were oiled for the occasion, which results in the smooth, colored texture visible today. This stool isn't asymmetrical, it's ergonomic! The seat tilts to make it more comfortable to use.

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