Vintage Chokwe Tribe Carved Mortar

Carved from a single block of hardwood, this small head-shaped mortar has that raw, expressive quality found in mid-century Central and Southern African folk carving.
 
The shallow bowl suggests it was used for tobacco or snuff rather than grain — something made for daily use rather than ceremony.
 
The stylised face, with its squared features and heavy brow, hints at Chokwe influence from the Angola–Congo region, though pieces like this often travelled and mixed styles along the way.
 
Found in Italy, where many African carvings arrived mid-century, it carries the traces of both worlds.
 
Condition: Good - normal wear for age and use
Size: L 17cm x W 10cm x H 8.5cm