Herbalists staff "opa osanyin"
Nigéria, Yoruba
Vendu
220 €
Provenance
Eduard Hess, Basel, SwitzerlandTaille
H: 52 cm
H: 20.5 inch
Description
staff of wrought iron, crowned by a stylized bird, a circle of 14 smaller birds below, min. dam., traces of corrosion, wooden base;
the staff is planted in the ground at the entrance to an “osanyin” priests compound to ward off nocturnal attacks by witches. “Orunmila” is represented by the big bird on top of the staff.