Divination tray
Made by Duga (ca. 1880-1960), 1950.
Nigeria, Meko; Yoruba
Collected by William R. Bascom, 1950, acc. 1986.
5-10845
In Ifa divination various visual patterns are produced by a throw of "dice," which then correspond to certain poetic texts. When using palm nuts, the diviner marks the figures of Ifa in wood dust spread over the divining tray. Trays are usually round, though they may be rectangular, square, or semicircular. The carved raised edge of the tray has at least one stylized face, representing Eshu, the messenger of Ifa and the other deities.
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