Yoruba Bowl

51. A bowl with hinged lid, c 1900. A very fine bowl in good condition carved in low relief and showing signs of years of traditional use. There is an additional lidded bowl carved to the top in the form of a tortoise.

22cm tall x 26cm x 20cm.

Yoruba, Nigeria.

A divination bowl, known as Opon Igede Ifa is used by diviner (babalawo) to store all of the items used by him. When consulted, the priest would tap rhythmically on a opon ifa (divination boar) with a iroke ifa |(tapper) to invoke the presence of Orunmila. The sacred items such as the beads, cowie shells palm nuts or kola nuts as well as the divination chain and tapper used by the babalawo would be kept separated in the compartments of the Opon Igede Ifa.

Price on request or please email me for a full price list. Please email me with any enquiries or to request better quality images.