Fang Reliquary Figure — Nlo Bieri

Fang peoples, Gabon

19th – 20th century

Wood, fibres and metal

H 27.5 cm

From the Fang peoples of Gabon, reliquary figures of this type, known as bieri, formed part of an ancestral tradition centred on the preservation of family relics. Ancestors’ remains were kept in bark reliquary boxes, with carved heads or figures placed above them as guardians. These works protected the contents while maintaining a connection between lineage, memory and the living family.

By the early twentieth century, Fang reliquary guardians had developed from earlier carved heads into busts and full figures. This example belongs to that later tradition, where the figure becomes both protector and sculptural form. The surface shows areas of wear and pale deposits across the head and body. The fibre at the neck has darkened, and the metal earrings show oxidation.