THE QUESTION

THE ANSWER

 

This is a very interesting Ibeji in relation with two specific carving characteristics.

First of all, this Ibeji originated from the ILESHA (Ijesa) and this provenance is very rare.  

The rarity is also increased by two well defined details:

The scarifications on the abdomen.

The base consisting in two bare feet.

Normally the Ibeji carved in Ilesha have large scarifications on the abdomen, of geometrical shape. This Ibeji has instead scarifications similar to a human face with two eyes positioned in the upper part of the face, carved with semicircle-shaped scarifications and the mouth carved with two concentric rhombuses.

The other rare detail of this Ibeji is the base, consisting in two bare feet, different from the normal base of the Ilesha Ibeji, where the two feet are carved on a round or square base.

Similar Ibeji can be found on the photo 318 and 319 of the Encyclopedia of the Ibeji.

 

 

                                Fausto Polo

                                

 

 

 

 

René from France would like to know the origin and the degree of rarity of this Ibeji.