Fine worked bell "okpogo ilo" · Nigeria, Igala · ID: 3044812
Description
copper alloy, collection number “12347”, rep.
Based on historical references and oral testimony, this bell type is known as the “igala” bell, referring to the Igala Kingdom.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.
The object Fine worked bell “okpogo ilo” with the object ID 3044812 was part of the auction 90.I Tribal Art and 90.II Contemporary Native American Art on November 17, 2018. The object with the lot number 180 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,500 with an asking price of EUR 400.
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Comparing literature
Berns, Marla C. et. al., Arts of the Benue River Valley, Los Angeles 2011, p. 203