Coupe de divination "agere ifa" ·  Nigéria, Yoruba · ID: 3042693

Description

wood, dark brown patina, remains of pigments, male equestrian figure, with the upper part of the body extremely bent foreward, bowl with decorated rim, min. dam., cracks, slight traces of abrasion

The “agere ifa” divination bowl served as a receptacle for the sixteen sacred palm nuts (“ikin”). Through this medium, “ifa” priests communicated with the god of fate, “orunmila”, in order to obtain insights into an individual’s destiny.