Lot 122
Yaka or Suku Double-Headed Divination Slit Drum, DRC
Estimate$800–$1,200
Offered in A Lifetime of Discovery III · Sunday, November 1, 2026, To be announced
A large carved wood divination slit drum attributed to the Yaka or closely related Suku peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The hollowed anthropomorphic body is surmounted by two carved heads with elongated faces, narrow eyes, prominent noses, cheek markings and tall pointed coiffures. A long resonating slit extends through the front of the body, with carved arms descending along either side.
The form is consistent with Yaka and Suku divination drums, traditionally used by ritual specialists and diviners. The figure retains old fiber binding around the necks together with a carved wooden striker terminating in a miniature human head, a particularly appealing and uncommon survival.
- Size
- 27 1/2 in. high.
- Provenance
- Property from an important private collection, assembled by a dealer and collector over more than six decades.
- Condition
- Age-related wear, surface abrasions, scattered losses and cracking. Old fiber bindings remain at the necks. Wear and minor losses around the resonating slit and extremities. Retains carved wooden striker. Please refer to photographs.
Estimates are opinions of value, given as a guide.