The shape of this title staff from Tanzania, in which a carved solid sphere is contained by a crescent-shaped element at the top of the staff, bears a striking resemblance to Native American war clubs. In this way, there is an interesting cross-cultural connection between Tanzanian title staffs and Native American clubs, linked together by their beautifully simplistic forms. The curved feature holding the sphere appears to be an abstracted definition of a typical Sandawe coiffure.
Over time, the surface of the staff has developed a honey brown patina.
Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century
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