Tusyan pendant from Burkina Faso, depicting a buffalo with large sweeping horns, with a bird sitting on its head, and a well worn patina.
Tusyan (Toussian) bush cow or buffalo pendants from Burkina Faso are small, cast-bronze, or copper-alloy amulets (made using the lost-wax casting technique) worn as protective charms and markers of status.
Closely linked to Do initiation rituals, these zoomorphic pendants reflect the strong attributes of the totem animal which were to be transferred to the new member, and also to provide spiritual protection.
Please note the remaining parts of the original leather mounting, as the leather cord used to wear the pendant around the neck is no longer present. Also, the tip of one of the horns is broken off.
Similar buffalo, or bush cow, pendants are also found among the neighboring Lobi, Bobo, Bwa, and even the Senufo peoples .
These pendants are believed to imbue the wearer with spiritual protection, shielding them from malevolent bush spirits.
Height: 2 ˝"
Width: 1 ⅝"
Length: 2 ⅜"
Ex. Allen Davis Collection, Virginia.
Allen Davis - August 23, 1927 ~ February 17, 2025
Ambassador Allen Davis, led a life marked by service, diplomacy and a deep appreciation for nature and a passion for collecting African art. He found beauty and meaning in the cultures he encountered throughout his life.
To view more of the Allen Davis Collection entitiled ‘African Brilliance: A Diplomat’s Sixty Years of Collecting’ an exhibit at Palmer Museum of Art, Penn State 2020 go to; https://exhibitions.psu.edu/s/african-brilliance/page/allen-davis
