This small chair from the Jinka region of Ethiopia features three beautifully curved legs supporting a circular seat - and at its centre, an elongated, upright back support culminating in a circular decorative detail. Throughout, the backrest exhibits a lovely glossy, rich surface patina, and at the front, has been finely engraved with an edging of triangular-shaped motifs.
Attention has also been paid to the other side of the chair's backrest, which features two decorative rows of the same triangular-shaped motifs, and at the top, an engraved cross inside a dome-like format. Echoing the shapes on the surface of the backrest, the seat of the chair has been adorned with an engraved pattern of lines, which resemble the shape of a ten-pointed star.
High-backed wooden chairs figure prominently in the installation of chiefs among different groups in southern Ethiopia -serving as symbols of rank and entitlement during meetings by the council of elders.
Estimated Period: First Quarter of the 20th Century
Width: 31cm
Seat Height: 27.5cm
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