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A Yorba Ibeji Male Pair, Wood, Nigeria, Early 20th C browse these categories for related items... All Items: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: African: Sculpture: Pre 1930: item # 610084
Mitchell Sotka, Ltd. 19071 Old Detroit Road Rocky River, OH 44116 (440) 333-1735 Guest Book $800.00 for the pair #44 |
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The Yorba peoples of modern day Nigeria and Benin revere the occurrence of twin births. The Yorba boast the highest statistic of twin births in the world. They believe that twins hold a power that can be good and equally bad but, above all it must be revered and honored. The mother of twins commissions the local diviner for a pair of Ibeji or Ere-Ibeji, twin carved statues. The Ibeji act as visual representations of the twin’s power or the actual sprit a twin if one is deceased. Both twins are honored because; they are the same soul of a long lineage of ancestors. One twin is mortal; the other is the spiritual self. Due to high infant mortality rates, one or both twins often pass away. If one twin survives, the mother honors the wooden Ibeji figure representative of the deceased as a live person. This maintains an order in their culture.
Ibeji are often carved of a light colored wood. Over time they are oiled with palm oil, a part of the ritual worship. This treatment gives the wood a deep brown semi-gloss appearance. Per Yorba aesthetic, the human form is not to scale. This pair’s head and headpiece consumes one-third of their composition. The pair are identical males aside from their jewelry. One figure wears a blue beaded necklace; the other dons a belt of black beads. The pair dons conical headpieces, suggesting spiritual significance. Their eyes are cowrie shell shaped. Their faces and abdomen show scarification patterns. Both figures sit upon a pedestal, denoting their status.
Size: 9 1/2 “ in height and, 3 1/2” at their widest Condition: Good, ware is due to original worship practices, palm oil residue Price: $800.00 for the pair #44 |
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