Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)
1 of 6
Object Label
The Senufo are well known for their elegant sculpture, which is often associated with the Poro, important men's and women's religious society. These figures, often ornamented by body scarification, elaborate coiffures, and jewelry, represent idealized female beauty. This object, called a deble, was used at Poro festivities, such as initiations and funerals. Deble are held by their upper arms and pounded on the ground to mark a rhythm for dancers. The worn arms on this piece show it was used repeatedly.
Caption
Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Culture
Title
Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)
Date
late 19th or early 20th century
Geography
Place made: Korhogo region, Côte d'Ivoire
Medium
Wood
Classification
Dimensions
40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Rosemary and George Lois
Accession Number
74.214
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Have information?
Have information about an artwork? Contact us at