Senufo
Côte d'Ivoire or Burkina Faso
Northern Africa and the Sahel
Pendant Depicting a Tortoise
INV-1867
Senufo
Côte d'Ivoire or Burkina Faso
Northern Africa and the SahelEarly/mid–20th century
Pendant Depicting a Tortoise
Senufo Côte d'Ivoire or Burkina Faso Northern Africa and the Sahel →senufoArts of Africaafrican ArtNorthern Africa and the Sahelpendant (jewelry)copper alloy
Date
Early/mid–20th century
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
Approx.: H.: 5.1 cm (2 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Richard Faletti, the Faletti Family Collection
Ornaments made of copper alloys are generally commissioned by individuals on the recommendation of a diviner as a means to encourage spiritual intervention in the resolution of individual problems or goals. This ornament is in the form of a turtle—an animal thought by the Senufo to have special ties to the spiritual world. The large round eyes and circular feet add emphasis to the neatly coiled rings of the turtle’s body. The flat, broad tail looks more like that of a fish than a turtle, but it probably made the object easier to grasp.
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