Pair of female twin figures "ere ibeji"

Description

wood, shiny blackish brown patina, nearly identical posture, eyes with drilled pupils (nail heads missing), lancet-shaped scarifications on cheeks and forehead, abundantly adorned with strings of ancient miniature glass beads and strings of fine coconut discs, slightly dam., missing parts through insect caused damage (above all on the back of one of the figures);
as the Yoruba believe that twins have a combined, inseparable soul, the moment one of the twins dies, the life of the other is immediately imperiled, because the balance of his soul is seriously disturbed. Therefore an artisan is ordered to carve a small wooden figure to serve as new abode for the soul of the deceased. The “babalawo” performs the traditional ritual of transferring the soul into the wooden figure. They are called “ere ibeji”. The Yoruba word “ibeji” means “twin”, “ere” = “sacred image”.