African Bone Spoon From The 'lega/warega' Tribe Of Congo - Africa - Late 19th Century

Lega Ritual Bone Spoon – Democratic Republic of Congo. This carved bone spoon is attributed to the Lega people, who live in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lega are renowned for their symbolic art, closely linked to the Bwami initiation society, in which carved objects play an educational, moral, and ritual role. The spoon has a deep, oval bowl, carefully polished, indicating long use or an ancient patina. The finely crafted handle is distinguished by a rhythmic geometric structure, composed of angular segments and a central diamond-shaped cutout, a typical element of Lega aesthetics. These stylized forms are not purely decorative: they refer to abstract values such as balance, knowledge, restraint, and the transmission of wisdom. Made from dense bone (likely from a large mammal), the surface displays a honey to light brown patina, marked by fine striations and signs of wear, indicative of its age and repeated handling. Small, engraved circular marks reinforce the object's symbolic nature. Beyond its potential utilitarian function, this spoon was primarily intended as a didactic or ritual tool, used during ceremonies or moral instruction within the Bwami community. It embodies the formal restraint and conceptual depth characteristic of Lega art, where every detail contributes to a codified visual language.