Kneeling shrine figure "onile" ·  Nigeria, Yoruba · ID: 3049129

Description

copper alloy (bronze, brass), patina,

Figures “onile” symbolize the original founders of the community. They are owned by the the “ogboni” society and are kept in the inner sanctum of the “ogboni” house.

Drewal reports that elaborate rites are conducted to infuse spiritual power into them. The “onile” is prepared with such powerful substances that to see it is to risk blindness or even death.

The object Kneeling shrine figure “onile” with the object ID 3049129 was part of the auction 99th Auction on November 12, 2022. The object with the lot number 101 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,100 with an asking price of EUR 450.

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