Nkisi Mbumba Fetish – Vili-kongo, Democratic Republic Of Congo

Nkisi Mbumba Fetish – Vili-Kongo, Democratic Republic of Congo – late 19th – early 20th century.

Rare Nkisi Mbumba fetish, also known as a “medicine ball,” from the religious tradition of the Vili-Kongo people.

Description:

The object features a face sculpted from dark clay, rich in symbolism, suggesting a spiritual or ancestral presence.
The deeply carved eye and nasal cavities give the piece a striking expressiveness, enhanced by an ancient, dense, and matte patina, attesting to long ritual use.
The structure consists of a woven rattan basket containing the sacred contents (bilongo), composed of an amalgam of organic, mineral, and symbolic materials (bone, clay, plant fragments).

These elements were activated by the nganga (healer-diviner) for the purpose of protection, healing, or mediation with spirits.

This type of fetish, closed and self-contained, was often suspended or placed in a ritual space.

A beautiful, authentic, unrestored ethnographic example, displaying a strong sculptural presence and a primitive character.

Dimensions: Height: 23 cm – Width: 20 cm.

Condition:

Good condition, ritual wear, surface cracks, deep patina.

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