Palm Wine Cup
Artist: Kuba Peoples (African)
Date: Early 20th century
Dimensions:
H. 6 15/32 in. (16.4 cm); W: 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm); Depth: 5 in. (12.7 cm); Max Diam (opening): 3 5/16 in. (8.4 cm); Max Diam (base): 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm).
Medium: Carved wood.
Place of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo
Classification: Sculpture
Credit Line: Purchased with funds from the Florence Scott Libbey Bequest in Memory of her Father, Maurice A. Scott
Object number: 1991.55
Label Text:Palm wine plays an important social and ceremonial role in central African social life, around which discussions, conversations, and rituals take place. Kuba titleholders and high-ranking officials drank palm wine from carved wooden cups in the form of human heads. This cup, which was intended also as a display piece, reflects Kuba identity in the shaved hairline and in the scarification marks at the temples. The rich red tone comes from tool, camwood powder that Kuba people also apply to their own skin. Certain elements make this cup distinctive, such as the way the neckband becomes the handle and the rendering of the ears as concentric circles.
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