Staff c. 20th century

This is a staff carved by an unknown Kongo artist; a symbol of authority and spiritual power. Dominating the top, we see a Janus-faced figure, an ancient motif representing duality and the ability to see both forward and backward in time. The Janus figure appears across cultures, from ancient Rome to various African traditions, often symbolizing transitions, thresholds, and the cyclical nature of time. It is a powerful emblem of collective memory, suggesting that wisdom comes from understanding both the past and the future. Consider how this echoes in other works, such as Roman depictions of Janus, where the two faces guard doorways, portals to new beginnings. Here, in Kongo, the Janus embodies the diviner's capacity to access ancestral knowledge and foresee events. This recurs again and again. Such images tap into our subconscious, evoking a sense of timelessness and the interconnectedness of human experience across vast stretches of time and geography. These potent symbols offer a non-linear perspective on history.