Just a moment
Just a moment
Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Yorùbá-style maker · c. 1910 · Cleveland Museum of Art
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Sàngó is a king turned god in the Yorùbâ cosmology. One of the many òrìṣà—a god or divine spirit—that Yorùbá people can become devotees of and appeal to, Sàngó is often associated with lightning and thunder. The shape atop the female figure's head is the double-axe symbol of Sàngó. She wears a triangle-shaped amulet, waist beads, and bracelets, all signifying that she is a priestess. Standing on a base, rather than a handle, this figure was likely placed in a shrine dedicated to Sàngó. The bright blue color on this sculpture is bluing, a powdered product used to brighten laundry.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0
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Image: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0