Yoruba Tribe Female Figure with Cowrie Cloak, Nigeria
Yoruba female figure "ibeji" with cloak made of cowrie shells on cloth, Nigeria, circa early 20th century.
Some light wear and patina from years of use and handling, attached beaded necklace. Cowrie shells were once a form of currency, the cowrie-encrusted cloaks on these indicate the wealth of the family. This female twin figure wears a cloak of traditional cowrie shell currency, a sign of the material wealth and prosperity of the family who commissioned it.
Date: 20th Century
Origin: Yoruba
Country: Nigeria
Material: Wood, glass beads, cowrie shell, cloth, fiber, and pigment
Height: 25 cm
Width:
Provenance: N/A
Condition
The wood has developed a warm patina resulting from age and use. No damage to cowrie shells and cloth.