code: 2025-IBc

a carved wooden statue, depicting a male twin figure, known as:

Ere Ibeji made by the Yoruba People,

wearing an Ewo / Ewu Ileke or Agbada Ileke, a beaded garment for royal status.

The Yoruba Peoples regard twins as extraordinary beings protected by Shango, the deity of thunder, they are believed to be capable of bestowing immense wealth upon their families or misfortune to those who do not honor them, twins are honored with carved memorial figures when they die. 

On special occasions a Yoruba king wears this type of gown, as part of his regalia. Priests dedicated to Shango, the Yoruba god of thunder, wear similar beaded tunics. Its zigzag and triangular patterns might evoke the jagged path of lightning across the sky or perhaps refer to the Gabon viper, an emblem of power. 

This multicolor beaded vest has an opening for the head and open sides for the arms, front and back are covered with glass beads. 

The front rims and the interior of the vest once were lined in orange-red fabric, but only little has remained, showing high age and/or use. The hand sewn technique is visible on the inside with hundreds of stitches. We see a few beads missing, mainly some green ones at the sides.

This male figure has a high, complex braided and partial open coiffure, with blue pigment,

earrings missing, metal pupils - one might be a replacement,

as scarifications / tribal marks he has 4 horizontal marks on the cheeks, known as Abaja style,

arms free carved, hands on the hips,

on his lower abdomen a carved design that might represent scarification,

short legs, flat feet,

glass beads strands around the neck, waist and a wrist, strands of cowrie shells hang from both wrists, at several places remains of camwood powder,

condition: firm, beautiful patina, smoothened through the years by touching and rubbing, at his ankles there are cracks visible - probably a restoration

- do see all pictures - they are part of the description -

age: early 20th century

height: circa 25,5 cm / circa 10 inch

weight all together: circa 586 gr.

weight of the garment: circa 237 gr.

provenance: a private Dutch collection of mainly old Yoruba figures, there is a code tag of the previous owner under her foot with an Y for Yoruba

Please note: we are no experts on the subject of tribal art, we have done some limited and unprofessional research, trying to attribute these statues to a land, country, tribe, culture or people and judged the age to the best we could - before bidding or buying do judge for yourself the tribal affilation and the correct age before bidding or buying - we are selling this item "as is" and we will not accept returns if the buyer finds that we are wrong concerning these matters.