lakal:



This classic style of nineteenth century Yoruba aso oke cloth involved the alternation of a simple warp striped strip with a second design in which supplementary weft float motifs are laid out on a fine blue and white checked background. In an early example such as this the magenta silk thread alaari from the trans-Saharan caravan trade is combined with local hand spun indigo dyed cotton. In some cases, as here, there is one different warp striped design to add variety. Although the supplementary weft float motifs are largely based on the Koranic board shape (a wooden rectangle with an arrow head at the top, used by boys at Islamic schools as a writing board) in early examples as here the weaver plays around with variations on the shape.

this style is well known i believe.

my grandma had something similar.

Aso-oke and the striped female-style wrappers of course had a place on masquerade costumes.  The Gelede masquerade of Western Yorubaland, which honors the older women, ancestors and deities known as "mothers" (Iya mi, my mother) of the community utilized these wrappers, as seen in this early 20th Century photograph.

Men used horizontal looms (women used upright looms) traditionally to do their weaving, making cloths that were long and narrow, as opposed to women's looms, which made shorter and wider cloths.

A picture of yarn drying. Meko, Yorubaland in 1950.

A master weaver with his finished product. Meko, Yorubaland in 1950.

Switching subjects, were Imperial Oyo's calvary horses outfitted similarly?

A picture of a royal palace horse in Oyo, Yorubaland (1960).

Back to bronze! 




Owo, Yorubaland. (Undated)

This Yoruba bronze ritiual vessel is topped with the deity Yemoja who is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river. Her parents are Oduduwa and Obatala. There are many stories as to how she became the mother of all saints. She was married to Aganju and had one son, Orungan, and fifteen Orishas came forth from her. They include Ogun, Olokun, Shopona and Shango. Other stories say that Yemaya was always there in the beginning and all life came from her, including all of the orishas. This rare vessel also features many other figures and was created by the lost wax casting method.

Owo, Yorubaland (undated).

This Yoruba bronze sculpture features a King surrounded by his court servants and was created by the lost wax casting method. Lost-wax casting sometimes called by the French name of cire perdue (from the Latin cera perduta) is the process by which a brass or bronze sculpture is cast from an artist's carving usually made from wax. Very intricate works can be achieved with this method, depending on the carver's skills.

Small Bronze Yoruba Animal Fetish
Cute bronze animal fetish from the Yoruba tribe circa early 1900s. 55mm long x 24mm tall x 17mm wide; solid bronze.

Ijebu Bronze Face Bell
Origin: Nigeria
Dimensions: 8 in (20.32 cm) H
Materials: Bronz

This is a pair of Yoruba bronze figures; each one sitting on a separate bronze stool. They were created by the old lost wax casting method.
These bronze figures are 11.5" and 10.5" in height. They are also both about 3 ½ inches in width and 3 ½ inches in depth.
They date from the late 19th Century through the early 20th Century.
Their condition is excellent with a nice patina and a small area of verdigris.

This one is reminiscent of the "Sankofa" bird of the Akan.

Unique and antique: bronze bird fetish from the Yoruba tribe circa early 1900s. 55mm tall x 19mm wide. Heavy solid cast bronze foul figurine

Bronze staff. Ekiti, Yorubaland.

Undated, but similar to other Ogboni/Osugbo bronze objects.

Crown, Yoruba peoples, Nigeria, Late 19th to early 20th century, Copper alloy

The four staring faces are said to represent the all-seeing gods or ancestors. Their protruding eyes signify when the spiritual eye replaces ordinary vision. The two figures with mudfish legs refer to supernatural powers in two realms, land and water-or reality and spirit. The projecting stem of the crown may allude to stored spiritual power in the wearer's head and also show that the wearer is exempt from everyday chores such as the carrying of loads on one's head.

bata drums:

[img]http://4.bp..com/_4KjiXr1ScXA/S17jGNs_vzI/AAAAAAAABsk/L0zUeGJBQiM/s320/Drum02.jpg[/img]

ancient gong, c 1900

Some of the lesser-seen Ife artworks.



Aroye Pot, Ife, Nigeria. 14th-15th CE. Terracotta.
Location :Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria
Photo Credit : Jerry L. Thompson / Art Resource, NY 




Ritual pot, 13th-14th CE. Ife, Nigeria. Terracotta.
Location :Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria
Photo Credit : Jerry L. Thompson / Art Resource, NY

Male head. 12th-15th century. Nigeria, Ife culture. Terracotta, h. 19cm. Inv. III C 27530. Photo: Dietrich Graf.
Location :Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany
Photo Credit : bpk, Berlin / (name of museum) /(name of photographer) / Art Resource, NY 




Male head. Nigeria, Ife. 12th-15th century. Terracotta, h. 17 cm. Inv. III C 27526. Photo: Dietrich Graf.
Location :Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany
Photo Credit : bpk, Berlin / (name of museum) /(name of photographer) / Art Resource, NY

Terracotta head. Ife sculpture from Nigeria.
Location :National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Lagos, Nigeria
Photo Credit : Werner Forman / Art Resource, NY 




Ife terracotta sculpture thought to depict a gagged sacrificial victim. Nigeria, Ife culture. Ife. Ca. 13th CE. Material Size: Terracotta.
Location :Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany
Photo Credit : Werner Forman / Art Resource, NY

Terracotta head of an African male. Ife, Nigeria. 12-14th century CE. Terracotta with polychrome traces, 15.5 x 11.5 x 12.3 cm. Inv. 73.1996.1.4. Photo: Jean-Gilles Berizzi.
Location :Musee du Quai Branly, Paris, France
Photo Credit : Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, NY 



Ram's Head fragment, 11th-12th CE. Ife, Nigeria. Terracotta.
Location :Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria
Photo Credit : Jerry L. Thompson / Art Resource, NY

Zoomorphic cup. Youruba people, Benin. Polychrome wood, 18.3 x 17.9 x 16 cm. Inv.: 71.1889.101.62. Gift of Alexandre L. d'Albeca. Former collection: Musee de l'Homme.
Location :Musee du Quai Branly, Paris, France
Photo Credit : Musee di Quai Branly/Scala / Art Resource, NY

Mother and Child. Yoruba, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Wood, beads. Gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.
Location :National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, U.S.A.
Photo Credit : Jerry L. Thompson / Art Resource, NY

Vessel, 17th-18th century. Yoruba, Owo group. Nigeria, Guinea Coast. Ivory, wood or coconut shell inlay, Height 5 in. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, 1991 (1991.17.129).
Location :The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Photo Credit : Image copyright © The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Art Resource, NY

Bronze horse head bell. Yoruba people. Ijebu, Nigeria. Brass, 13.4 x 9 cm. Inv. 73.1997.4.11. Photo: Jean-Gilles Berizzi.
Location :Musee du Quai Branly, Paris, France
Photo Credit : Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, NY

Drum in the form of a kneeling woman with an offering bowl. Probably used by the Ogboni society. Yoruba, from South-western Nigeria. Wood, skin. 20th century.
Location :Coll. C. Vogel, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Photo Credit : Werner Forman / Art Resource, NY

Steatite (soapstone) Yoruba head. Nigeria, c. 17th-19th c.
Location :Private Collection
Photo Credit : Werner Forman / Art Resource, NY

Gelede Masque. Yoruba people, Benin, Southwest Nigeria. Wood. H.: 34 cm. Inv.: MNAM 71.7.1. Photo: J.G. Berizzi.
Location :Musee du Quai Branly, Paris, France
Photo Credit : Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, NY

WONDERFUL! You guys just made me remember my grandma who used to weave with an equipment (weaving loom?) fitted on one side of her kitchen. I enjoyed watching her spin the cotton but was too young to comprehend what it was all about during our short visits. Now i wish i was old enough to ask a few questions or at least take her photographs while at work. I also know that copper was made into jewellery by the goldsmiths as far back as when she was young. I still have one of her designed pendants which was given to me when she died.

We do have a great heritage to be proud of. God bless you guys for this free enlightenment series on Nigerian arts and culture.

in this sculpture, the oba's leg is raised slightly above the queen's foot.

just wondering if this is symbolizing the gbese le practice, or the absolute authority of the king.





anyone who has a different view, feel free to air it plz.

no thread derailers or unserious folks, thanks.

my grandma who used to weave with an equipment (weaving loom?)

i was told my grandma also used to weave on her own loom, but this was long before i was born.

i didnt get to see it.

tpia@:

in this sculpture, the oba's leg is raised slightly above the queen's foot.

just wondering if this is symbolizing the gbese le practice, or the absolute authority of the king.





anyone who has a different view, feel free to air it plz.

no thread derailers or unserious folks, thanks.

I am glad you've finally found your niche on NL.

It must be satisfying for you to finally be living your anthropology dream on here. Rock on my e-anthropologist c/u/m/ e-husband searcher. God knows the world needs people like you who couldnt make the grade, Or how else would people like me be proud of their achievement.

Who needs a 'pali' when you can always role play on NL.

Different Oba crowns