Lot: 317

95th Tribal Art Auction

Rare metal shield "upwal"

Kenya, Turkana

Provenance Size Starting price / estimated price
H: 21.1 inch/ 33.5 inch (carrying pole) This object is not available anymore.

sheet-iron (front side cleaned), wood, animal skin/ sinews,
Shape and design are reminiscent of the typical shields of the Turkana, which were made of animal skin (mostly from giraffe, antelope, hippo or buffalo).

In his book "Geheimnis Afrika" (1979) Heinrich Harrer reports about such a metal sign, which hung in the mission station in Kakuma.


Baur, Ivan & Jan Elsen, Guba, Brussels 2002, p. 33, ill. 4