Zoomorphic water spirit mask ·  Nigeria, Yoruba/Ijebu · ID: 3041662

Description

wood, encrusted blackish brown patina, base

The Ijebu Yoruba live near the coast, and their land is filled with numerous lagoons and rivers. It was the proximity and importance of water that led to the introduction of a cult known as “ekine”, which is devoted to water spirits. There are three main water spirits, “igodo”, the bird - “agira”, the antelope - and “oni”, the crocodile.

The object Zoomorphic water spirit mask with the object ID 3041662 was last part of the auction 85th Tribal Art Auction at March 4, 2017 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 302.

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Comparing literature

Drewal, Henry John & John Pemberton, Yoruba, New York 1989, p. 133 & 144 f.