Oil Lamp

Tikar · Cameroon

Reference: TRRC-53

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Height
20 cm
Material
Terracotta

In their ceremonies they worship the land and ancestors by pouring corn beer on the ground and on the tombs, as a regenerating element of life.…

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Full original description

In their ceremonies they worship the land and ancestors by pouring corn beer on the ground and on the tombs, as a regenerating element of life. This lamp is intended to illuminate the enclosure in which ceremonies are held.

And they are also used in the family environment. The glow of the fire of the home around which the large family gathers in winter to listen to stories or songs to the sound of the decor or other instruments is enough to illuminate the stay. In the long warmer periods where only a few coals keep the water of a pot warm, the candlesticks and lamps based on shea oil are indispensable to illuminate the interior of the huts and serve as a witness in a corner until the first lights of the dawn are felt. These objects, intended for simple and everyday use, are often small works of art that are both religious in character. Religion and beauty are two constants of the African environment.

Further technical information
Width
13 cm
Attributed period
Mid-century XX

Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.

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Cameroon. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.

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Attributions, dates and accounts come from the preserved catalogue. They do not constitute certification of authenticity or provenance. An object’s presence on this website does not mean it is available for sale.

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