Ceremonial sword; Baulé ethnic group, Ivory Coast,... Lot 82

Ceremonial sword; Baulé ethnic group, Ivory Coast, first half of the 20th century. Carved wood and iron. Measurements: 30 x 6 cm (blade); 18 x 6 x 8 x 8 cm (hilt). Ceremonial sword made of iron and carved wood for the hilt that is carved with geometric motifs and synthesized faces. In the case of the blade it also presents ornaments of geometric character and part of the openwork blade. This type of object was worn by high dignitaries during ethnic ceremonies. The Baulé ethnic group, of which one million individuals were counted at the beginning of the 20th century, are part of the Akan group of the Ivory Coast, a country of which they occupy the eastern part. During the 18th century, Queen Abla Pokou had to lead her people to the west, on the banks of the Comoé River, among the Senufo. To cross the river, she even sacrificed her own son, a sacrifice that gave rise to the name Baulé, since "baouli" means "the child is dead". Being a matriarchal regime, when the queen died, she was succeeded by a niece, who led the kingdom of Sakassou, formed by the tribes that followed her in her exodus. The Baulé exploited the auriferous regions and developed a new civilization, a synthesis of the Akan and the cultures of the indigenous peoples who had been conquered. At the beginning of the 19th century, however, the massive surge in search of gold and internal strife led to a weakening of the state, accelerated by the colonial occupation. Within the Baulé culture, wood carving is the most important artistic manifestation. Their sculptures and masks have a religious significance, since they allow a closer contact with the supernatural world.