The best know and most numerous Asanti carvings are the Akua'ba. These so-called fertility dolls are carved for
women who are having difficulty conceiving children or, according to some accounts, for women who are pregnant. A woman
takes such a carving to a priest who consecrates it and invokes the influence of a dieity to include pregnancy (or in the
case of a women who is pregnant, to ensure the birth of a perfect child). The woman then carries the figure for a period
of time tucked into the back of her waist cloth. The figures are fondled, dressed and adorned with earings and waist
beads just as a real child would be. The akua'ba embody the Asanti ideal of beauty with a classic disc-shaped head and
rings of fat around the neck indicating a prosperous and healthy condition.
Black fertility doll small, approximtely 30cm tall.
$29.99
Black fertility doll large, approximtely 45cm tall.
