Oracle bowl "agere ifa" ·  Nigeria, Yoruba · ID: 3032186

Description

wood, slightly encrusted brown patina, paint remains, round base, carved with a kneeling female figure, min. dam., minor missing parts, fissures;
the divination bowls serve for keeping the 16 holy palm nuts (“ikin”), which are used for the questioning of the oracle. During the prophecy, the “babalawo” (priest) spreads the “opon ifa” with flour, throws the palm nuts on the board and generates the oracle from the lines drawn on the plate. The “ifa” oracle is used in whole Yoruba country and similar soothsaying systems are known all over West Africa.