Description:

West Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba culture, ca. mid-20th century CE. A hand carved wooden figure, known as an Beji, representative of a twin figure. The gender is male, standing on an integral pedestal, with a skirt around the waist. The stylized head has a crested coiffure painted in black hue, and scarification marks on the cheeks. The Yoruba have one of the highest number of twin births in the world, four times higher than in Europe, for example. Beji are known to the Yoruba as two people who share one soul. If one of the human twins dies, whether as a child or an adult, the surviving human twin is considered to have little hope of living with only half a soul. When a twin dies, a figure dedicated to Beji, the deity of twins, is carved to be the earthly abode of the spirit of that twin. Wooden figures like these are created to keep the souls of the twins together. Size: 3.5" L x 2.5" W x 9" H (8.9 cm x 6.4 cm x 22.9 cm)

Provenance: private Wilmington, North Carolina, USA collection

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#174446

  • Condition: Chip and scorch mark on base and a few nicks to high pointed areas, otherwise intact and very good. Smooth patina throughout.

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September 17, 2022 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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