Female Figure Date Unknown

Cast in bronze, the Female Figure stands as a testament to the artistry of the Mano people. Fertility is evoked through symbols of womanhood, such as the breasts, a navel, and beads around the waist, each deeply rooted in cultural beliefs about creation and life. Notice how the arms are held away from the body, a gesture that echoes across cultures in votive statues, signifying offering and openness to the divine. This posture reappears in ancient Greek sculptures, where figures present themselves to the gods, beseeching their blessings. The gesture taps into a collective memory, a universal yearning for connection with the supernatural. The symbolic beads, reminiscent of life-giving waters, echo the Egyptian use of lapis lazuli in funerary masks, meant to invoke rebirth. What surfaces here is not merely a decorative element, but a potent symbol that transcends time. This illustrates the powerful, cyclical nature of symbols: how they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings across different historical contexts.