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Used by male chiefs, ivory scepters were symbols of status indicating worldly authority and supernatural influence. The use of ivory implies that the chief has the fatal power of an elephant. The figurine shows a chief enthroned on the bound body of a criminal destined for such a death. A medicine package would have been enclosed within the container extending from the figure’s head, bestowing supernatural powers.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
967156ca20968b6e
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
168742
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "168742",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Scepter",
    "description": "Used by male chiefs, ivory scepters were symbols of status indicating worldly authority and supernatural influence. The use of ivory implies that the chief has the fatal power of an elephant. The figurine shows a chief enthroned on the bound body of a criminal destined for such a death. A medicine package would have been enclosed within the container extending from the figure’s head, bestowing supernatural powers.",
    "date": "late 1800s–early 1900s",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2010.447",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q80075106"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Tools and Equipment"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 28 x 2.5 x 4 cm (11 x 1 x 1 9/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo (most likely), Cabinda, or Republic of Congo, probably Kongo-style (Yombe sub-group) carver"
    ],
    "accession": "2010.447"
}

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Document identity
{
    "localId": "168742",
    "label": "Scepter",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "168742",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Scepter",
    "description": "Used by male chiefs, ivory scepters were symbols of status indicating worldly authority and supernatural influence. The use of ivory implies that the chief has the fatal power of an elephant. The figurine shows a chief enthroned on the bound body of a criminal destined for such a death. A medicine package would have been enclosed within the container extending from the figure’s head, bestowing supernatural powers.",
    "date": "late 1800s–early 1900s",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2010.447",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q80075106"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Tools and Equipment"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 28 x 2.5 x 4 cm (11 x 1 x 1 9/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo (most likely), Cabinda, or Republic of Congo, probably Kongo-style (Yombe sub-group) carver"
    ],
    "accession": "2010.447"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "ivory",
    "tombstone": "Scepter, late 1800s–early 1900s. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo (most likely), Cabinda, or Republic of Congo, probably Kongo-style (Yombe sub-group) carver. Ivory; overall: 28 x 2.5 x 4 cm (11 x 1 x 1 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 2010.447",
    "collection": "African Art",
    "didYouKnow": "Scepters often represent the chief sitting atop a bound prisoner or attribute to a violent death.",
    "citations": [
        {
            "citation": "Bastin, Marie-Louise, et al. <em>Utotombo. L'Art d'Afrique noire dans les collections privées belges: Société des Expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts, Bruxelles, 25 mars-5 juin 1988</em>, 205. Exh. Cat. Brussels: Société des Expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts, March 25-June 5, 1988.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced and mentioned: p. 205, cat. 163"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Lehuard, Raoul<em>. Art Bakongo. Insigne de pouvorir. Le scepter</em> 4. Arnouville, FR: Arts d'Afrique Noire, 1998, 962-963.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced and mentioned: pp. 962-963, no. M3"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Petridis, Constantine. \"René and Odette Delenne.\" In <em>Tribal Art </em>XV-4, no. 61 (Autumn 2011): 121.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced: p. 121, fig. 6"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine</em>. Vol. 53 no. 05, September/October 2013",
            "page_number": "Mentioned & reproduced: p. 12",
            "url": "https://archive.org/details/CMAMM2013-05/page/12"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Petridis, Constantine, et al. <em>Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture.</em> Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2013, 24, 41,45, 112.",
            "page_number": "Mentioned: pp. 24, 112-113; reproduced: p. 45, cat. 9"
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2010.447",
    "creditline": "René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-29 08:40:39.092000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 168742,
    "dept": "African Art",
    "coll": "African Art",
    "med": "ivory",
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
{
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    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.447/2010.447_web.jpg",
    "mediaId": "967156ca20968b6e"
}