Herbalists staff "opa osanyin"
Nigéria, Yoruba
Vendu
200 €
Provenance
Günther & Ursula Hartmann, Berlin, GermanyTaille
H: 53,5 cm
H: 21.1 inch
Description
staff of wrought iron, spear-shaped tip, crowned by a stylized bird, a circle of 16 smaller birds below, min. dam., traces of corrosion;
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.