**Originally Listed At $300**

Africa, Southern Africa, Zulu people, ca. 1960s CE. A remarkable carved-wood dance shield featuring an elongated body with sides that gently curve inwards to form flared ends. Presenting with a rich hue of mocha under a light burnish, the lovely armor's convex face is incised with forty-nine thick horizontal striations, all filled with cream-colored pigment. A slender handle has been carved into the piece's verso, allowing it to be wielded with one hand. Dating back to King Shaka Sulu, wooden shields like this example were used by tribesmen in battle for hundreds of years. Now, however, they are used for ceremonies and festivities, such as weddings and telling ancestry stories. Boasting an elegant form and minimalistic design, this shield is a wonderful example from the Zulu peoples! Size: 10.5" W x 46.625" H (26.7 cm x 118.4 cm)

Provenance: private Houston, Texas, USA collection, acquired in 1971; ex-Johannesburg, South Africa collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

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#162898

Wire for suspension is tied to handle on verso. Minor chips to peripheries. Some light chips and abrasions throughout, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, very nice with impressive remaining pigments and lovely patina.