Sceptre "ipawo ase"
Nigeria, Yoruba
sold
EUR 700
Provenance
German Private Collection, Hamburg, collected in situ (1959 - 1965)Size
L: 36 cm
L: 14.2 inch
Description
brass with patina, open worked ending, crowned by a human janus head, both faces nearly identical, min. dam., slight traces of corrosion;
staffs like this, known as “ipawo ashe” or “scepters of vital force”, can be used by anyone with sufficient authority and vital force, i. e. district chiefs, priests, “oshugbo” elders and kings. These hand-held ceremonial staffs were used to greet those present and impose silence during gatherings.