Amulet Depicting Birds

Arts of Africa

19th/mid–20th century

Senufo
Côte d’Ivoire
Northern Africa and the Sahel

This small brass amulet consists of two frontal avian forms atop a rhombus. The birds are represented abstractly with flat, planar heads and long beaks; their tubular arms hold crosshatched rectangles. The very bottom of the rhombus has signs of crosshatching as well. Diviners in Senufo communities serve as intercessors between the human sphere and the natural world—sometimes perceived in terms of hostile nature spirits. The material realm is often employed in the form of small figurines or amulets like this one or in large wooden sculptures, to aid in the diviners’ efforts to establish bonds with the spiritual realm.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Arts of Africa

Artist: Senufo
Title: Amulet Depicting Birds
Place: Côte d'Ivoire (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1800–1950
Medium: Brass
Dimensions: H.: 4.8 cm (1 7/8 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of the Britt Family Collection
Reference Number: 1978.920

George Stoecklin (died 1997), Golfe-Juan, France, by 1978 [see correspondence with Jean Britt in curatorial file]; sold to Raymond E. Britt, Jr. (died 2004), Britt Family Collection, Chicago, Ill., 1978; given to the Art Institute, 1978.

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.