Luba Mboko Vessel

c. 1900
$2,980 USD
Make an Offer
Dimensions
H: 12.0" Dia: 8.25"
Materials
Ceramic
Purchase Quantity
Collection #
CAA1137
Estimated Shipping
$75

Receiving guidance from tribal ancestors was a central aspect of the Luba people's spiritual practices. This gourd-form ceramic divination vessel, known as a mboko, it would have been filled with items like antelope horns, shells, dried beetles, human teeth, fruits, seeds, chalk and miniature carved figures. A traditional ritual involved shaking the filled mboko and then releasing the items from within. Luba sages would read which objects presented themselves together. These arrangements were interpreted as revelatory signs from which the diviner could diagnose a problem. The process would be repeated again and again, each time providing further insight and understanding.

Questions? Ask us

What They're Saying

Elizabeth Krueger | Elizabeth Krueger Design

“PAGODA RED was extremely supportive in helping to pull accessory options together for the Lake Forest Showhouse. After providing them with details and our vision on how we were looking to finish our space, Laurene helped curate options that made it easy for us to edit and finalize. It's also no surprise that the unique pieces we used in our showhouse space were some of the first to sell.”

Receive our weekly email on design &
creating memorable spaces