Shrine head, 12th-14th century, 12 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 7 1/4 in. ( x x cm), Terracotta, Nigeria, 12th-14th century, This head’s tranquil demeanor and introspective gaze express what the Yoruba peoples consider a person’s inner virtue. It is a memorial portrait head that comes from the royal city of Ife in western Nigeria, a center of economic, religious, and political power between 1100 and 1400. Ancient Yoruba artists made heads in bronze and terracotta that were part of complete figures or, like here, freestanding.

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Size: 4561px × 6728px
Location:
Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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