Untitled

Object/Artifact

-

DePaul Art Museum

Name/Title

Untitled

Entry/Object ID

2001.56

Description

Wooden board with carved figures along the outer rim.

Use

Divination Board

Context

This piece is a divination board of the Yoruba culture from Nigeria. In the Yoruba indigenous religion seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means is often practiced. Divination rituals are done with babies when they are born so that the parents can know what the future holds for their children and what type of life they will live. This board would be the board on which the divination ritual would be done. It is said that this board is where the deity of wisdom, Ifa, communicates to Elegba the divine messenger.

Acquisition

Accession

2001.50-175

Source or Donor

May Weber

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of the May Weber Foundation

Made/Created

Artist

Unknown artist

Notes

Creation Date: no date

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Continent

Africa

Culture/Tribe

Yoruba

Notes

Yoruba Nigeria, Africa Africa, Nigeria

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Religious Objects

Nomenclature Class

Ceremonial Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Getty AAT

Concept

Yoruba (culture or style), Southern Nigerian styles, West African (general), African (general, continental cultures), divination, occult sciences, disciplines (concept), ceremonial objects, object genres (object classifications), religious objects

Hierarchy Name

Styles and Periods (hierarchy name), Disciplines (hierarchy name), Object Genres (hierarchy name)

Facet

Styles and Periods Facet, Activities Facet, Objects Facet

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Whole

Width

45.085 cm

Depth

41.91 cm

Length

3.81 cm