Amulet Depicting Birds

This small brass amulet consists of two frontal avian forms atop a rhombus. The birds are represented abstractly with flat, planar heads and long beaks; their tubular arms hold crosshatched rectangles. The very bottom of the rhombus has signs of crosshatching as well. Diviners in Senufo communities serve as intercessors between the human sphere and the natural world—sometimes perceived in terms of hostile nature spirits. The material realm is often employed in the form of small figurines or amulets like this one or in large wooden sculptures, to aid in the diviners’ efforts to establish bonds with the spiritual realm.