Ifa divination head "olori(n) ifa" or "ikin ifa" ·  Nigeria, Yoruba · ID: 3048771

Description

ivory, base

“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 ivory (or bone).

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.

Expertise

Expertise, Matthias Streckfuß, Berlin, 20 July 2022 (No 2139-07-2022)

Notices

This object is subject to CITES. Please note that it can only be sent within the European Union. At the present time export in third countries is prohibited, respectively, export licenses in third countries for objects containing or made of protected materials are only granted under stringent conditions.