Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyPersonal Shrines and Devotional Art

The *byeri* is a personal devotional sculpture created by the Fang peoples. What was the primary function of this object?

  1. To guard containers of ancestral remains from malevolent forces and the uninitiatedAnswer
  2. B
    To serve as a power figure activated by Kongo ritual specialists driving metal nails into the wood
  3. C
    To be worn by Yoruba dancers in dynamic public masquerades honoring ancestral spirits
  4. D
    To adorn the adobe-and-timber walls of Ashanti royal palaces as architectural supports

Answer

To guard containers of ancestral remains from malevolent forces and the uninitiated
The correct answer describes the primary function of the byeri, which was to sit on top of bark reliquary boxes containing ancestral bones to protect them from spiritual harm and warn away the uninitiated.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the culture and object referenced in the question.
The object is the byeri, a reliquary guardian figure created by the Fang peoples of Central Africa.
Recognizing the object and its cultural context is the first step to determining its correct function.
2
Analyze the primary purpose of the byeri within Fang society.
The Fang were nomadic and carried the bones of their ancestors in bark boxes. The byeri figure was placed on top of these boxes to guard the sacred remains.
This links the physical form and context of the object to its devotional and protective role.

Key Concept

The function and context of Fang reliquary guardian figures (byeri) as personal devotional art used to protect ancestral relics.
Rate this question

Topics

Personal Shrines and Devotional Art

More questions from this topic