Vintage Kota Wood and Bronze Reliquary Guardian Figure

This vintage Kota reliquary guardian figure comes from Gabon, Africa, and is constructed from wood and bronze.

Its metal-covered face is decorated with geometric patterns and has a stylised arrangement of small eyes, nose and mouth. Beneath it, the wooden body forms the characteristic simple diamond shape and carries a dark brown patina with wear consistent with age and traditional use.

Kota guardian figures were traditionally placed on baskets or boxes containing the bones of ancestors, serving as protective reliquary figures.