Cameroon Shield Oblong - (61.1) Hostage which are round flat disk-like

which are round flat disk-like wooden masks that have abstract patterns and geometric motifs with horizontal lines that are painted in earthly colours

H 70cm × W 15cm

36cm diameter

This tray is carved out of a single piece hard wood

bordering Ethiopia and South Sudan

Cameroon Shield Oblong - (61.1) Hostage which are round flat disk-likeCameroon hand carved Bamileke shield Carved from a single piece of wood in an elongated oblong form, the surface cut with the bold geometric patterning historically used by Bamileke carvers designs once said to dazzle and disorient an opponent in battle. Originally part of tribal weaponry, shields like this carried real social and spiritual weight, marking status as much as defending against attack. As each is hand carved, size and pattern vary