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Bookmark: http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/145818



unknown Oyo
 Yoruba Primary



Ere Ibeji (Twin Figure)

19th century - 20th century
Carved wood with glass beads and pigment

9 13/16 in. x 3 3/8 in. x 2 15/16 in. (25 cm x 8.5 cm x 7.5 cm)

Bryn Mawr College
Accession Number: 99.3.30
Other Number(s): 162 (I) (Neufeld Collection Number)
Geography: Africa, Nigeria, Shaki
Classification: Ceremonial and Performance Artifacts; Ritual Objects
Culture/Nationality: Oyo, Yoruba, Shaki, Nigerian, West African, African
Collection: Neufeld Collection
Nigeria has the highest incidence of twin births of any country in the world. Among the Yoruba, twins are regarded as blessed spiritual beings who bring wealth to their families. When a twin passes away, the parents consult a babalawo (priest or diviner), who will advise the family to have an ere ibeji, or twin figure, carved to represent the gender of the deceased twin and become the residence of the twin’s spirit.

The mother of the deceased child will care for the ere ibeji just as she cares for the living twin. It will be washed, moisturized, clothed, and fed. It is believed that proper care of the ere ibeji ensures that the deceased twin will not lure the living twin to join it. When a parent can no longer care for the figure, it becomes the responsibility of the living twin. If an ere ibeji is left without a keeper, it is given to an iya’beji, a woman who cares for all abandoned twin figures.

Presently, it is growing less and less common to have an ere ibeji made. Instead, photos are sometimes used to represent a deceased twin.

Keywords Click a term to view the records with the same keyword
This object has the following keywords:
African*, beads*, carvings*, ere ibeji*, female*, Indigofera tinctoria*, labrets*, Oyo, ritual objects*, wood*
  • African - Refers to the cultures of the continent of Africa, which is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
  • beads - Refers to small objects, of any shape or material, pierced so that they may be strung or hung or attached, as by sewing.
  • carvings - Refers to works executed by cutting a figure or design out of a solid material such as stone or wood. It typically refers to works that are relatively small in size, are part of a larger work, or are not considered art. For large and medium-sized three-dimensional works of art, use the broader term "sculpture" or another appropriate term.
  • ere ibeji - Anthropomorphic figures carved by the Yoruba people of Africa in memory of a deceased twin or twins.
  • female - Referring to the sex that normally produces eggs or female germ cells.
  • Indigofera tinctoria - Species of shrub shrub that is an annual, biennial, or perennial, depending upon the climate. It was an original source of indigo dye. It is naturalized to tropical and temperate Asia and Africa, and cultivated elsewhere for centuries; its location of origin is uncertain.
  • labrets - Decorative items worn inserted into a hole in or near the lip.
  • Oyo
  • ritual objects - Objects used for a particular ritual activity, often as part of a ceremony.
  • wood - The principal tissue of trees and other plants that provides both strength and a means of conducting nutrients. Wood is one of the most versatile materials known.

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Provenance History
  • Owner Name: Mace Neufeld and Helen Katz Neufeld, Class of 1953
    Role: Donor
    Place: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, US
    Ownership End Date: 12/20/1996


Comparanda List
The following Comparanda exist for this object:
  • Fausto Polo, "Ibeji Archive." (Accessed July 23, 2020): http://ibejiarchive.com/. Record No.: 53V07.
    Additional Image
  • "African Heritage Document and Research Center." (Accessed June 11, 2020): AHDRC.eu. Record No.: 0107841.
    Additional Image
  • "African Heritage Document and Research Center." (Accessed June 11, 2020): AHDRC.eu. Record No.: 0107511.
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Related Bibliography List
The following Related Bibliography exist for this object:
  • Gert Stoll and Mareidi Stoll. Ibeji: Zwillingsfiguren der Yoruba (Munich, Germany: Authors, January 1, 1980), 157-158.
  • Robert Farris Thompson, "Sons of Thunder: Twin Images among the Oyo and Other Yoruba Groups." African Arts 4, no. 3 (Spring 1971): 8-13, 77-80.
  • Marilyn Hammersley Houlberg, "Ibeji Images of the Yoruba." African Arts 7, no. 1 (Autumn 1973): 20-27, 91-92.

Portfolio List Click a portfolio name to view all the objects in that portfolio
This object is a member of the following portfolios:
Thumbnail image of Mace and Helen Katz Neufeld Collection
Mace and Helen Katz Neufeld Collection
Thumbnail image of Twin Figures
Twin Figures

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=BMC>cite web |url=http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/145818 |title=Ere Ibeji (Twin Figure) |author=Bryn Mawr College Library Special Collections |accessdate=5/27/2022 |publisher=Bryn Mawr College</ref>

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