Pair of Yombe Phemba Carved Wooden Maternity Figures
A pair of Yombe phemba carved wooden mother-and-child figures from the Kongo cultural tradition, symbolising fertility, status and women’s spiritual power.
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This pair of carved wooden maternity figures are known as phemba and were created in the artistic tradition of the Yombe people of the historic Kongo Kingdom, spanning parts of the modern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.
Each sculpture depicts a mother and child. Phemba figures symbolise fertility, high status and the spiritual power of women within Yombe matrilineal society.
The solid dark wood carvings include detailed hairstyles, necklaces and simple metal hoop earrings. They show vertical splitting to the timber and bases, together with surface scratches, minor chips and a dusty patina in the recesses. Please refer to the photographs for the full condition.
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