Yoruba Female Ibeji or 'Twins' Figure

Stuffed with bright rings and chain, this little figure is dressed for a party

This female Ibeji or ‘twins’ figure is Yoruba, from Nigeria, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is painted & carved wood. Parents traditionally treat an Ibeji figure like a living child, carrying, feeding, bathing, oiling and clothing it, so a well cared for figure often has a patina worn smooth by touch. A standing figure with a tall indigo-tinted crest and bright eyes with inset pale pupils. Bright rings fill both arms, with colored beads at the neck and waist, and chain links trail over the round base. Dark glossy finish shows red at the foot. It is 4 inches wide, 3 deep and 10.25 high.

Jewelry takes up more room than the figure, and nobody objects.