Heavy dark wooden chief's stool supported by a carving of a female figure. Origin Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
A minstrel stick puppet. Minstrel shows were a type of entertainment popular from the 1840s to as late as the 1960s that featured performers in blackface. Figure has movable parts connected by pins. The stick that is used to operate the puppet is broken off.
Wooden nkumbi household stool used in initiation with two pieces of wood lying on top; four legs, darker in color, curve upward, 3 holes in each side on the darker band of color; one piece of wood is inscribed "Innsbruck Sept 27 1953"; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Front and interior views of a coiled basked made of sweetgrass, pine needle, and bulrush, sewn with palmetto leaf. Domed lid has a knob and is decorated with pine knots. Lid is connected by a hinge on one side and contains a protruding piece that fits into a loop on the other side, securing it when closed.
Ten-note barrel-shaped sound box, also known as board piano or thumb piano and lukembi, likembe, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; open at top and closed at bottom; one hole in bottom and one on back; semi-circular red markings on sides and top, rectangles etched on sides; metal wrapped around keys; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Twelve-note sound box, also known as thumb piano, board piano, lukembi, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; one hole on base and one on back; one key has a coil wrap; crudely decorated with lines and scratch-like marks on back; origin Ngwanda people of Central Africa.
Miniature five-string harp with wooden arm and base; base covered with skin that has been nailed down, arm has leopard type decoration, base has markings, hole cut out on top of base; origin Mangbetu people of the Ituri forest.
Multiple views of a sweetgrass sewing basket with handles on a pedestal base; lid has open nipple and is decorated with six pine knots; basket contains some rows of pine needles and is sewn with palmetto leaves.
Wooden shelf from forward bulkhead in the submarine interior, found laying horizontal to the original upright orientation of the submarine. Possibly made of pine, approximately 1 inch thick, with cut-outs to fit in the bulkhead of the submarine. Images show wooden shelf within the submarine interior during excavation and wooden shelf after removal, conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol, and freeze drying. Note the rust stains on both ends where bolts had been used to secure the shelf.
Carved statue of a woman wearing a raffia skirt and cowrie shell earrings. Tattoos mark her shoulders and her face is painted. Made of dark wood with a natural clay stand.
Smoked ivory ornamental face mask, mouth is wide oval, eyes are a rectangle; origin Epulu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire), but is a replica of masks created by the Dan people of Cote d'Ivoire.
Smoked ivory ornamental face mask, openings for eyes, mouth has slight opening, showing teeth, crown on head; origin Epulu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire), but is a replica of masks created by the Pende people (also of DRC).