Berło wtajemniczonych. Edan. Ogboni. Joruba. Afryka.

The sculptures on offer are a sign, a symbol, a scepter received by members of the Ogboni association operating among the Yoruba people. It is a kind of secret council of elders, guarding law and order, caring for the welfare of the entire community, controlling and electing the king Oba. It is also the physical emanation of the god Edan. A member of the secret council receives Edan for life. Sometimes Edan is walled up in the corner of a house.

The Edan sculpture is created according to strictly defined symbolism. My sculpture has all these features. These include a pipe in the hands of a man, a woman in a kneeling position, holding her breasts, the shape of the eyes and the entire face, and circles for connecting the figures with a chain. And, very importantly, the steel pin on which the figures are mounted. The multi-story form is quite rare and probably has additional symbolism, but this remains beyond my knowledge for now. I heard about the symbolism of marriage from a Parisian seller, but I cannot verify this.

It is difficult to determine the age of the sculptures with certainty. Personally, I place them between the beginning and the middle of the 20th century.

The whole piece is 44 cm high, and the bronzes themselves are 38 cm high. They stand on a wooden base measuring 20 x 8 x 7 cm. Nice old patina.