Throne / Ceremonial seat

(UEM17775) Elaborately carved throne and ceremonial seat in the form of a kneeling woman carrying a circular seat on her head. The seat is a receptacle for the chief’s spiritual power, serving to preserve relationships between the ruler, the people, ancestors, and the spiritual world. Sculpted in the form of a female figure, the throne conveys how Luba is a matrilineal society where succession follows the mother’s lineage. A woman supporting the ceremonial seat reveals that although only men are made chiefs, they obtain this position through the mothers’ lineage. Artistically carved, this throne depicts a woman with a sophisticated hairstyle and intricate tattoos on her belly and thighs, signifying a woman of high social rank. The throne is made by a renown woodcarver and Buli master from Kateba.

Material: Wood
Region: Kasai Oriental, Luba
Height: 50 cm.
Arrival: Donated by Captain Sundt to the Museum, 1909.