Post figure

In the past, various groups in what is now the Republic of Southern Sudan sculpted memorial posts to honor important ancestors. This highly stylized human figure commemorates a specific individual, most likely a famous hunter, who died in the first part of the 1900s. The cylindrical trunk is incised with geometric motifs that may be related to tattooing and are said to symbolize hunting exploits. The spherical head has a small, heart-shaped face with two metal disks for the eyes. The massive artwork evokes dignity, endurance, and solidity.