ibeji
- Museum number
- Af1943,04.1
- Description
-
Male Ibeji figure carved from wood with two necklaces, an anklet and a wristlet of glass beads which are threaded onto vegetable fibre (pair with Af1943,04.2).
- Dimensions
-
Height: 23 centimetres
-
Width: 9 centimetres
-
Depth: 10 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Register 1943:
Wood carved figure of man standing on rectangular base ornamented with coloured beads around the neck and on the right leg.
'Ibeji' figures, as made for twins.
('Figures of this type are carved for twins when they are born* and are kept in a gourd, and offerings made to them. It is particularly important to preserve them, if one of the twins should die.' Mrs. Meyerowitz, 'Man', 1944).
Register 1943 later addition:
*Wrong: only carved at death of twins (W.B.Fagg).
Register 1943 later addition:
(Usually carved at the death of twins, yes, but sometimes carved after their birth, though rarely. J.Picton)
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2007-2024 Mar- Mar, Hull, Wilberforce House, West African Cultures-Slavery, long term loan
2007-2008 Apr-Oct, Bristol, Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Slavery, Abolition and the Making of Modern Britain
- Acquisition date
- 1943
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1943,04.1