Zemanek-Münster

Divination head for "ifa", "olori ikin" ·  Nigeria, Yoruba · ID: 3050957

not available anymore
Provenance
French Private Collection
Size
H: 7,2 cm
H: 2.8 inch

Description

bone,

“Ifa” priests use sixteen sacred palm nuts for their divinations. Many of them have a seventeenth nut called “olori(n) ikin” (“chief of the palm nuts”). It is often replaced by such a small human head made of bone (or ivory).

Usually it is believed that the heads represent “eshu’”, but they are more likely to allude to “orunmila”, the supreme deity of the “ifa” oracle.


The object Divination head for “ifa”, “olori ikin” with the object ID 3050957 was last part of the auction Collectors’ Items Sale at September 24, 2025 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 225.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.


Subscribe to our newsletter

Join over 10,000 tribal art collectors. Don't miss out on upcoming news and auctions.

Subscribe today