Senufo, Ivory Coast: a typical heddle pulley of the Senufo people, with the head of the ‘sacred calao bird’ above.
A heddle pulley, in which a reel runs over an axle below. With a thread over this reel, the weaver can separate the warp threads of his woven piece into ‘fans’, using a foot pedal. Then the weft threads are ‘shot through’ these ‘fans’. Thus, fabric is created. In order to provide the weaver with ‘something beautiful’ to look at while working, the heddle pulleys are particularly finely crafted. On the present heddle pulley of the Senufo people, the reel and the axle at the bottom are unfortunately missing. Yet the heddle pulley itself displays a ‘classical’ and typical Senufo motif: the head of the calao bird, ‘sacred’ to the Senufo people. This calao bird is a hornbill and is viewed by the Senufo and other tribes of the west African savanna as especially wise and faithful.
A finely Senufo Pulley with fine detailed coiffure and great patina of use. Good condition with slight traces of wear and tear. Stand is not included, but can be bought seperately.
