Fante Akuaba with Looped Top

Akuaba are wooden ritual fertility dolls. Steven van de Raadt and Daniel Mato write in Aspects: Akan Cultures in Ghana that “Fante akuaba are known by their vertical flat heads in opposition to other Akan round headed figures. They are also unpainted retaining the natural light color of the wood.” Fante figures often feature “designs worked onto the rectangular shape of the head” and are embellished with jewelry. Though this Akuaba sports no bracelets or necklaces, its ear holes indicate that earrings were perhaps once threaded through to adorn the doll. The curved openwork at the top is a kind of stylized coiffure. Ex Merton Simpson.

11.5“

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