How do I care for carved wooden tribal sculptures?

Keep wooden sculptures away from direct sunlight and sudden temperature shifts to prevent the timber from drying out or splitting. Dust them gently with a dry, soft cloth without applying modern polishes or oils. Maintaining a stable indoor climate helps preserve the natural wood grain and any delicate pigment or fibre elements remaining on the surface.

Are these sculptures signed by the carvers?

Traditional african sculptures of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are rarely signed with individual names. Maker attribution relies instead on distinct regional styles, recurring motifs and carving techniques associated with specific groups. Experts identify origins by examining the specific handling of form, eye shape and surface finishing characteristic of distinct tribal traditions.

What is the difference between masks and figures?

Masks were carved to be worn or displayed during ceremonial dances and rituals, featuring openings or attachment points for textiles and natural fibres. Figures served as fertility objects, ancestral representations or protective talismans. Both forms utilise the same dense hardwoods but fulfill entirely different functions within their originating communities.