A rod for sacred processions. Either for the Gelede cult, in which women, mothers and fertility are venerated, or for the god Eshu. Made of carved wood and composed of five figures standing one above the other, three women and two men, fully clothed and with the typical tribal scarification marks on their faces. The skin of the women is dyed red and the men yellow, respectively. Below a conical, elongated tip and a sort of small ‘honorary umbrella’ stands a woman with a mirror in her hands, followed by a man with a simple sceptre and a black club (or rattle). Next (from above) follows another woman with a mirror. Half of her head is shaven (a symbol of her high social rank), followed by a man with a doubled, straight sceptre and a sword (or a symbol of the god Eshu) in his hands. The end is again in the shape of a woman holding a mirror. Everything is dyed red, blue, white, black and yellow in rich detail. The style of the carvings indicates the domain of the City of Oyo. The object displays good usage patina and only minor age-related damage (small cracks and some pieces broken off). Normally, these rare processional rods have a ‘U’-shaped handle made of wood fitted to the top (missing here). Overall, this five-figure processional rod is an exceptionally good and rare work of a Yoruba carver. First half of the 20th century; h: 152 cm. (ME)

Provenance: German private collection.