Terra cotta ritual vessel
Cham, Benue River region, Nigeria
Early 20th century
Provenance: Collected in the 1970’s by Jerry Vogel, by descent to family member
The Cham used to produce these figurative terra cotta vessels, for soothsaying, healing diseases in animals and humans, protecting unborn children and ensuring their safety until puberty. They are called itinate, and according to Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler in his book “Earth and Ore”; in the present day only a few old people are familiar with the art of making them and the use to which they were put, while the younger generation, mostly educated in missions, is often not even aware of their existence.
Terra cotta ritual vessel
Cham, Benue River region, Nigeria
Early 20th century
Provenance: Collected in the 1970’s by Jerry Vogel, by descent to family member
The Cham used to produce these figurative terra cotta vessels, for soothsaying, healing diseases in animals and humans, protecting unborn children and ensuring their safety until puberty. They are called itinate, and according to Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler in his book “Earth and Ore”; in the present day only a few old people are familiar with the art of making them and the use to which they were put, while the younger generation, mostly educated in missions, is often not even aware of their existence.