Antique African Benin Fon Tribe Hand Forged Iron Asen Staff Top - Altar, Abomey

Description

This is a antique handmade Fon tribe Asen staff top made by a craftsman of Abomey and no longer has the iron support staff rod. The Fon tribal people of Benin kept these memorial sculptural Asen staffs which were an ancestral type altar hand forged of iron that was planted or pushed into the ground of the of the Asenxo (Asen house) or the courtyard of the family compound where the deceased members of the family are memorialized and these staffs were tended by the elder woman in the family. Known as Asen, these forged iron staffs were created for each ancestor who had passed on and they served as a link between the living and the dead where offerings and recognition would be offered to each Asen during the dry season in a ceremony called Ahanbiba. It is in front of the Asen that the living meet the dead and speak to them.
This Asen includes a wooden container with iron ears which was to hold food used in offerings to the deceased relative. Also, there is a cast brass foliage piece, iron hand and a metal closed calabash. This Asen was created in Abomey as it is showing signs of being produced not only from iron but also brass which was customary of the Abomey artists they would even more rarely include silver.
This Fon Asen staff top no longer has the supporting staff rod and measures 4 1/4 inches tall by 6 1/4 inches wide. This is in authentic original antique condition showing much wear from age and being tribally used and has a very rusty patina. Some dents in the metal around the edge and a few missing iron pendant dangles called togbe, or earrings around the perimeter.
Please visit my ebay store Mountainamma's Marketplace to browse thousands of items from Africa and beyond.