Female Fertility Figure - Zaramo People, Tanzania - Sold

Among the Kwere, Zaramo, and some other peoples of Tanzania, the female initiates kept such figures during their period of seclusion and coming out ceremonies. After the ceremony the young woman would hang the figure around her neck or hold it in her hands. If the woman could not have children, she used the doll as a surrogate child until a real one was conceived.

Height: 3 5/8” x Width: 4 1/8” x Depth: 2 ½”
Height including the 1 1/8” square base is 4 ¼”

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