A Yoruba vessel lid awo ota Eyinle attributed to Abatan

A Yoruba vessel lid awo ota Eyinle

attributed to Abatan, Egbado Area, Nigeria

pottery, with a black, blue and indigo finish, domed with an openwork crown bust of a female devotee holding a small bowl below her breasts, the supports with river stone bosses, her face with scarifications and with a crescent coiffure,

30cm high.

cf. Drewal and Pemberton. Yoruba, Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, p.226, pl.268 for a similar lid by Abatan, thought of as the centuries master potter among the Egbado.

The vessel associated with this lid was for the stones of Eyinle (awo ota Eyinle.) River stones were kept in the pots with fresh water, whilst the small offering bowl held by the figure would contain kola nuts and cowrie shells to communicate with the goddess.