Bell "okpogo ilo" ("Igala bell") · Nigeria, Igala / Igbo · ID: 3048042
sold
EUR 850
Size
H: 23 cm
H: 9.1 inch
Description
copper alloy (bronze, brass), small missing part in the cast, cracks, rest.
Based on historical references and oral testimony, this bell type is known as the “igala” bell, referring to the Igala Kingdom.
The elliptical bell was associated with royalty and high status. It was often employed to “call” the ancestors and petition their aid for some human need. Today the regalia of the (“Ata”) of Idah includes bells, at least two of which typify the “Igala” bell.
Comparing literature
Berns, Marla C. et. al., Arts of the Benue River Valley, Los Angeles 2011, p. 203