Antique Shango Altar Wood Yoruba Art Nigeria XX Century

Altars dedicated to Shango, god of thunder, were used in temples to place the gourd or wooden bowl containing sacred stones collected by priests after a lightning strike. The base is concave because they are shaped like an inverted mortar, because just as the woman pulverizes yam in the mortar, so Shango punishes his enemies by incinerating them with lightning. The altar is inverted because an empty mortar has the power to attract lightning, while an upside-down one evokes the idea of ​​containing destructive force. This example of "Odo Shango" is notable for its large size, rich decoration, beautiful carving, and the precious patina of use, particularly evident at the top. The dominant figure is the priestess of the cult, displaying the emblems of Shango: the rattle and the double-headed axe that the deity hurls to earth during storms, producing thunder. At the back of the altar, a drummer appears, balancing on the glowing stones of the thunder god's axe. His figure is surrounded by numerous figures and ritual objects that recall Shango and his cult, including: the face of a priest, Shango's dog, a rattle, a hunter with a rifle, a leopard, a turtle, lizards, and a snake whose zigzag line alludes to the flash of lightning. Traces of red, blue, and white have symbolic meaning.