Quadruplet "ere ibeji" ·  Nigeria, Yoruba, Egbe · ID: 3034831

Description

wood, middle brown patina, indigo blue and black paint at the coiffure, encrusted with clay in some areas, two female and two male figures, drilled pupils (nail heads missing), flat facial planes with broad noses and big eyes framed by eye lashes, horizontal and vertical incised scarification marks, slightly dam., cracks (backside), facial features abraded;
in the Yoruba language the word “ibeji” means “twin” (“ibi” = born, “eji” = two). In rare cases there are triplets, called “ibeta” (“ibi” = born, “eta” = three), and even more rare are quadruplets, like the present figures.