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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Kelly Graziano, post: 12307494, member: 86665&quot;]I found this hand-carved wooden vessel at a thrift store near Palm Springs and would love help identifying it.</p><p><br /></p><p>It’s about 12&quot; tall, 7&quot; wide, carved from a single piece of wood, with red ochre and white pigment absorbed into the surface. The vessel stands on four carved legs with painted toes and appears to have been hollowed by hand. The interior is darkened and textured, suggesting long use.</p><p><br /></p><p>The collar has five carved white swags, and below it are four animal carvings: a crocodile, a bird, a possible monkey, and a mystery creature with prominent side-facing eyes and two red diamond markings.</p><p><br /></p><p>What puzzles me is the layout: three animals are centered on their panels, while the mystery figure is crowded beside the bird, leaving one side largely blank.</p><p><br /></p><p>That blank side feels intentional. If this was used as a grinding vessel or ritual object, it would likely be the side where the user stood, with the imagery or symbolic force directed outward rather than toward the operator. Curious whether that interpretation holds any water.</p><p><br /></p><p>The absorbed pigment, patina, and wear feel older to me than tourist trade. I’m tentatively wondering about a Cameroon Grasslands origin (possibly Bamileke-related) based on the feet, ochre, animal imagery, and form, but I’d love informed opinions.</p><p><br /></p><p>Any thoughts on:</p><p>• the mystery creature (frog? chameleon? tortoise?)</p><p>• the significance of the blank side</p><p>• the five-swag collar motif</p><p>• likely age or origin</p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks for all your help in advance!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]553568[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553569[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553570[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553571[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553572[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553573[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553574[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553575[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553566[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]553567[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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