Ife Clay Terracotta Figure Nigeria

A beautiful Ife memorial clay figure! The famous archaeological site at Ife in Nigeria produced a number of remarkable objects and wonderful sculpted heads and figures cast in bronze as early as the 1100s. Ife is considered to be the center and origin of the Yoruba people. This clay-modeled head is of an Oni, the ruler at Ife, who still holds sway over the Yoruba at Ife today. That this is a replica cannot be doubted, however, what is important to note is that the skill of the Nigerian craftsmen of today who molded this sculpture after a much earlier model continue a tradition nearly 1000 years old and have not lost their skill in producing interesting works of art.