Art & Photography - Very Rare Yoruba Tribe Nigeria Sacred Object “House Of The Head” Container Basket Handmade Tribal Artifact 16” x 10”

$1,300.00
Unit price per

Origin: Yoruba, Nigeria: a sacred object, called ‘house of the head’ decorated with many cowrie shells.

The Yoruba in Nigeria believe that the entire individuality, spirituality and fate of a person resides in its head. The head therefore has a very special significance. Against this background, a special cult around the ‘house of the head’ developed. This has been represented in large, round containers, known as ‘Ile ori’. They are produced from wooden strips, leather, fabric and cowrie shells. Smaller variations of these sacred objects (‘Ibori’), as well as other items that are important for the owner are also placed in such a ‘house of the head’. The ‘Ile ori’ is then sealed, placed in a shrine and honoured.

The present ‘house of the head’ has a removable lid (quite often these ‘houses of heads’ are sewn shut) as is this example but the bottom had been opened. The sacred object is covered in dense rows of pierced cowrie shells. The cowrie shell symbolises money, prosperity, welfare, happiness and health. On the body of the container four big triangles made from a black-brown leather and break up the dense rows of cowrie shells. The large ‘basket’ below is completely clad in cowrie shells, only the upper edge and the outer base are covered in brown and black leather.

Overall it is an interesting, rare and complete religious object from the Yoruba culture (only a few cowrie shells are missing). It has a noticeable, old patina and traces of use.

From prominent estate collection traded with tribal peoples in the early 70s

Texas Artists Estate Collection First Owner. Contemporary painter artist “Yaeger, Sugarland Guild”

This piece is quite heavy and will be expertly packed, registered and insured with a signature confirmation and shipped only to the same address that is registered with the credit or debit card that is used.