Any African Art Experts

I bought this African sculpture about a week ago, theres a paper label that reads ( Shango Bell; Yoruba Tribe. I was wondering if anyone know the age and possibly the value of it. I really dont collect African Sculptures, but I thought this one was unique so I purchased it. Height 17"

 

Speaking generally and not intending to be unpleasant but... It's always a mystery to me why members don't, as a courtesy, post close-up photographs of labels and stickers. They can provide lots of information beside the words written upon them. It's tiring to always have to ask "Would/could you..?"

Debora

 

that was a good point, normally I do but forgot to take a photo of it earlier and I was being lazy.

 

"Sacrificial Art" - wonder what that means. Does it make a sound when you shake it? Clearly isn't going to ring like a bell, does it sound like a woodblock? Is it loud enough to hear well - it looks like it would be very quiet. Which makes me wonder whether it was ever functional as a "bell".

 

I was a little disappointed when i first picked it up, I was thinking it was going to make a loud sound, but it didn't. It sounds like a bead in a cup shaken. Its not very loud.

 

Objects related to Shango, the god of thunder and lightening, typically include a double axe form (symbolizing the thunderbolt) on the top, like this example:

https://www.davidmalikarts.com/arte/yoruba-dance-wand-shango

Instead, your object appears to be a tapper, "iroke ifa", used in the traditional practice of divination among the Yoruba. The diviner, "babalawo", strikes a divination tray with the pointed end of the tapper to attract and greet Ifa, the god of wisdom and beneficial order.

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/4810/ifa-divination-tapper-yoruba


https://www.imodara.com/discover/nigeria-yoruba-iroke-ifa-divination-tapper/

You can find more information about Yoruba divination here:
https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/ifa-divination-system-00146
https://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/topic-essays/show/16?start=0

You may be able to find others for sale, or that have sold, by using the search terms "Yoruba divination tapper" (or stick), or "iroke ifa". Here is a more elaborate one currently for sale on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3844563066...lIt40iuxn95HNiIVG4-i6PQmlKaoyBTRoCQRIQAvD_BwE

They also appear to be made en masse, as souvenirs:

https://yorubagifts.com/product/iroke-ifatapper/

 

I imagine it is art that is made to be sacrificed.
I propose a factory art bonfire.

 

I second that proposal!