A very rare and desirable field used divination bowl, with good age and a wonderful highly stylized form of a Mother and child, a maternity symbol among the Yoruba used to offer sacred palm nuts (ikin) traditionally used as a special element in the Yoruba divination ritual.
Priests have traditionally used such vessels to communicate with Orunmila, the god of fate, in hopes of attaining insights to an individual's destiny. Some àgéré Ifá are given by clients to a diviner to thank Orunmila for a blessing or to implore the deity to bestow more favors on the donor.
 
This sculpture measures 14 x 6.5 inches , 15 inches tall on custom display stand.
 
Provenance: Ex Roth collection, CT, USA.
Condition
fair, well handled and worn