Figural divination bowl "agere ifa" ·  Nigéria, Yoruba · ID: 3034959

Description

light-weigthed wood, blackish brown encrusted patina, in shape of a mother figure, suckling a child, the cup originally carried on the head now missing, insect caused damage (base and stool), small cracks (shoulder right hand side);
the divination bowls serve for keeping the sixteen 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.

Littérature comparée

Eisenhofer, Stefan (Hg.), Kulte, Künstler, Könige in Afrika, Linz 1997, p. 192 ff.

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