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Posted 7 years ago

A fried found this. I thought it was a lamp part, someone else thought it was a deep weed root puller. I have no idea! Measures 4" x 2.5"

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glassbird, 7 years ago
It's Ochosi's bow and arrow!

He's an Orisha (or saint) in the Santeria (or Lucumi) religion. It's practiced in different forms in many places throughout the world, but is most common in Cuba, Mexico, and in the US.

Metal tools such as these are used as religious objects. You see little hammers, machetes, items with nautical themes, roosters, etc that tend to have very specific associations to particular saints (called Orishas). Items such as this are commonly sold in specialized religious supply shops called botanicas.

Ochosi is a hunter, so he's often represented by bows and arrows in different sizes. You can get smaller charm-sizes at any botanica (meant to be blessed, and then worn or carried as a protective amulet), the larger sizes like what you've got would've likely been added to a special set of tools that would be prepared by a priest as part of one of the initiatory rites.

Hope that helps!

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