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Yoruba Female Offering Bowl Figure 18″ – Nigeria – African Art

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This figure was carved in the style of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. The statue depicts a female figure in a kneeling position with a bowl in her outstretched hands. Figures like this would have been used to hold kola nuts during ceremonies. This piece measures 18 inches tall and weighs 3 pounds. There is some cracking, scuffing and wear and tear – please inspect photos.

Type of Object

Figure, statue

Country of Origin

Nigeria

Ethnicity

Yoruba

Material

Wood, Pigment

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height (Inches)

18"

Width (Inches)

5”

Depth (Inches)

9"

Weight (Pounds)

3 lbs

Overall Condition

Some cracking, scuffing and general wear and tear throughout.

Tribe Information

About the Yoruba People

The Yoruba are the largest cultural group on the African continent, with nearly 40 million people. The word ‘Yoruba’ describes both the language and a tribe living across Nigeria and the Popular Republic of Benin, in an area of forest and savannah.

Geography
The Yoruba people’s primary living space is South-West Nigeria with substantial Yoruba communities in Benin, Togo and Sierra Leone but they are not bound by state or country borders. This area is often referred to as “Yorubaland”. Most of the terrain is either forest, woodland savannah, rich farmland or coastal swamps and lagoons.

History
The origin of the Yoruba people in Nigeria is heavily debated. Some believe they came from the east in Mecca, some say from the north in Egypt. Evidence shows that ethnically, Yoruba’s have been in the area known as Yorubaland since the 7th century BC. Scholars believe the area was probably inhabited earlier by peoples of the Nok culture. Yorubaland covers the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin. The term Yoruba to describe ethnicity, did not come about until the 16th century and wasn’t widely used until the 19th century. Before then, the Yoruba people were known by many names depending on who was acknowledging them. For instance, the Europeans referred to them as Akú, whereas in Cuba, they were referred to as O luku mi.

Read more about the Yoruba here.

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Additional Information

About this Female Offering Figure

This style of sculpture, with a kneeling female holding a bowl, sometimes with child, is a symbol of honor and offering. The bowls were meant to hold kola nuts which were offered to visitors or as shrine containers for offerings to an orisa (spirit). Some were meant to hold palm nuts used in Ifa divination.