Akua'ba Fertility figure

This rare and superb akua'ba sculpture is heavily adorned with beads, earrings and necklaces. In addition, carries a child on her back tucked into the wrapper, and equipped with a key (reason unknown).Her unique face is beautifully carved. Traces of white pigment are apparent.  As a fertility doll, assuring a successful pregnancy and expressing the Asante ideal of beauty. Once the woman is conceived and had a successful delivery, she would return the figure to the shrine as offering, or is returned to the priest who mediated the conception displaying it in his shrine attesting his power and spiritual success. If the child died, the Akua'ba would be kept by her as a memorial. There were reports that if the conception is unsuccessful the woman nevertheless kept the fertility doll and is buried with it when she dies (E. Cameron 1996:44).