Nigeria, early 20th century CE. This is a fascinating wood carved kneeling female figure. Her hands are on her breasts and she has a large carved piece of wood extending from her head into a point; this is the functional part of the "tapper". The Yoruba people, who live mostly in modern-day Nigeria, have a cosmology so complex that scholars sometimes compare them to the ancient Greeks. Divination is an important aspect of their religion and when faced with difficulty or seeking advice they often turn to a "babalawo" (diviner) to ask the gods. One of the main divination objects is the tapper, the "iroke ifa"; the babalawo will tap this object against a special tray to draw the attention of the god Ifa, who is associated with wisdom and knowledge. Size: 12-1/2" H x 1-1/4" W (31.8 cm x 3.2 cm).

Provenance: Ex-private New York Collection, ex-Joshua Dimanstein

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#110787

Splitting to the wood and wear, but the piece is intact and the artwork clear.