Lidded Box

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Culture Yorùbá

Culture Owo (Sub-group of the Yoruba)

Title Lidded Box

Date 18th–19th century

Medium Ivory

Dimensions Object: 6 1/2 × 2 3/4 × 2 1/4 in. (16.5 × 7 × 5.7 cm)
Overall: 6 1/2 x 2 3/4 x 2 1/4 in. (16.5 x 7 x 5.7 cm)

Credit Line Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 77.28

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About this Work

The fine, intricate carving of this box clearly represents a tremendous outlay of both skill and time, which further enhanced the value of an already valuable material. Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, ivory is associated with wealth and prestige, and among the Yoruba, it is traditionally reserved for three groups: political leaders, elders of the Ogboni Society (an association dedicated to the earth goddess), and divination priests. The box may have held small gifts or stored personal belongings; boxes such as this are also said to be used as presentation containers holding offerings made to deities.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Lidded Box | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=77.28