The sideways head of this nkishi may refer to the way that some bandoshi sorcerers were believed to wring the necks of their victims. This type of figurine could, then, protect its owner from such a threat. But the remarkable figurine, with its very rare posture, is still distinguished by other peculiarities. The quarter turn of the head relative to the shoulders forms the start of a continuous torsion movement in the whole body, so that the shoulder blades are no longer in line with the buttocks.