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Divination Tapper (Ìróké Ifá )

Datemid-20th century
MediumIvory
DimensionsOverall: 7 15/16 × 1 in. (20.2 × 2.5 cm)
Credit LineGift of Diane Wedner and Ron Ziskin
Object number2001.24.2
Status
On view
More Information
Orunmila, the god who knows the destiny of every human, is the spiritual force behind Ifa. The diviner-priest holds the tapper in his right hand with which he invokes the diety during the divination process. That the tapper is usually made of ivory, a rare and expensive material, reflects the prestige of Ifa.
Exhibition History
Selections from the Ralph T. Coe Collection of African Art
  • Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (October 3, 2002 - December 10, 2002 )
Ritual and Performance in the Yorùbá World
  • Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (January 29, 2013 - June 30, 2013 )
Collections
  • On View
  • African & Oceanic
This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator. Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information about this object? Please contact us.