Heddle pulley (poulie de métier à tisser)

The Guro heddle pulley is an integral working part of the narrow-strip horizontal loom: the inverted-U fork suspends the heddle cord that controls warp-thread separation, and the carved finial serves as a counterweight. Despite their small scale, pulley heads are carved with the same aesthetic rigour as full-sized masks -- fine median nasal ridge, elaborate coiffure, polished surface -- reflecting the belief that beautiful objects please the spiritual forces that govern successful weaving. Their functional origin is confirmed by fibre residue in the fork groove and wear patterns on the inner fork surfaces consistent with sustained rope contact.

Heddle pulleys have been persistently miscatalogued as "miniature masks" in auction and collection records, a misattribution that misrepresents both their purpose and their cultural meaning. They entered European collections from the early twentieth century onwards and were among the first Guro objects to be systematically studied; Fischer and Homberger treat them alongside masks as full expressions of Guro sculptural identity. High-quality early pulleys with documented use-wear and coherent old patina are now actively collected and command prices commensurate with their carving quality.