Upon marriage, many Edo speaking women create household shrines or contribute to larger village shrines in order to call upon the god Olokun, the god of seas and rivers, to bring them children. Vessels like this one are central to these shrines. Made by women from river clay, the material itself is symbolic of the cycle of life and the worlds of earth and water, human and spirit. Imagery on these Olokun vessels (akh olokun) often depicts men and women taking part in Olokun ceremonies. The attached pots along the shoulder of this vessel might refer to the installation of Olokun pots in a shrine or perhaps the daily fetching of fresh river water to refill the shrine's vessels. The snakes coming over the rim of the vessel are creatures at home in two worlds, water and land, and suggest the meeting of human and spirit.
Description:
Round ceramic vessel with a flared neck and round lip, a high relief of snakes coming over the rim from the interior to the shoulder and loop handles and applied conical vessels on the shoulder.
Provenance:
Flora Edouwaye S. Kaplan, acquired Igun area of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, 1983 to 2008
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
