Notched flute Cuba (Pende?), DR Congo Without... Lot 24

Notched flute Cuba (Pende?), DR Congo Without base / without base Wood, glass beads. H 32,5 cm. Provenance: Swiss private collection, Solothurn. Flutes were used across sub-Saharan Africa in as many different ways as their forms were diverse: individually or in groups, e.g. as a signaling instrument, as a means of communication, for entertainment or ritually at initiations, weddings, births and funerals. In addition, they were status symbols, worn as jewelry, and were outward signs of the owner's affiliation. Further reading: Brown, E. (1999) . Turn up the volume. Los Angeles: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History. CHF 400 / 600 EUR 364 / 546