Lid of a box

Description

ivory, of slender rectangular form with rounded corners, carved with two human figures, a snake and a leopard, collection number “Be5” at the back, min. dam., cracks through age (esp. at the back), small missing parts, base;
such objects were reserved for kings and high-ranking persons. They served for keeping kola nuts which were offered to visitors during ceremonies.
The leopard symbolizes the total harmony between two forces: menace and temperance, attributes an ideal leader (“oba”) should have. Like the “oba”, the leopard has the privilege of a leader, the “right to kill” so he stands above life.

Comparing literature