Pair of figures, Yoruba; Nigeria
Cast brass, iron; H. 15 1/4"
Among the Yoruba, various religious
cults exist to placate the spirits and forces of
nature in its myriad shapes and forms. One of the
most powerful of these organizations is the secret
society of Ogboni, composed of elders of
Yoruba society who are considered "masters
of the earth." The primary identifying objects
of the Ogboni Society are paired bronze staves,
known as Edan. Usually these objects are
attached with a piece of chain and cast over an
iron rod, therefore unifying the magical forces
associated with iron and brass. These would have
hung around the initiates' necks and down their
chests as a visible symbol of rank at society meetings.
Roache (1971) discusses five separate functions
for these objects being judicial, oracular, healing,
protective, and communication/surveillance (anti-witchcraft).
The hand gestures of both figures are very important
in that they duplicate the greeting gesture of one
Ogboni member to another. These fine and
early castings bear elaborate and carefully rendered
detail work, a sign of the hand of a master.
