Cleveland Museum of Art

Pair of Ritual Staffs (ẹdan Ògbóni)

Date

possibly 1800s

Medium

Copper alloy and iron

Culture

Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Yorùbá-style maker

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The chain connecting these two figures allows them to be worn in public by a member of the Ògbóni or Òṣùgbó association as authority emblems. The male on the right gives the association’s typical salute by clasping his left fist on the right one, while the female on the left holds her breasts as a sign of welcome and generosity. The use of copper alloy and iron expresses Ògbóni/Òṣùgbó's concerns with longevity and durability. Imagine how this would look when its owner wore it; the chain would go around the back of the neck and the figures would rest on their chest.

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