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). The sacred object is covered in dense rows of pierced cowrie shells. The cowrie shell symbolises money, prosperity, welfare, happiness and health. A large, white, opaque glass sphere sits on the top of the lid, with another fabric sphere on top of it and four spherical stumps made from fabric and leather surround it (one is missing). On the lid, four big and four small triangles made from red fabric and black-brown leather 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. Height: c. 36 cm (with lid); diameter: c. 22 cm (lower container). First third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
'Yoruba. Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought' by H. J. Drewal & John Pemberton III., ill. 30, 32, 167.