African Cosmos: Stellar Arts

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In the central African Luba culture, twins are called "children of the moon" and are associated with divination and the spirit world. This Luba headrest supported by two female figures arm-in-arm suggests twinned spirit mediums. The rising moon serves as a metaphor for a heightened state of awareness and clairvoyance that occurs during spirit possession. This headrest was crafted in the mid to late 19th century.