• Results (564)
  • Search

Item Search

The item search helps you look through the thousands of items on the RRN and find exactly what you’re after. We’ve split the search into two parts, Results, and Search Filters. You’re in the results section right now. You can still perform “Quick searches” from the menu bar, but if you’re new to the RRN, click the Search tab above and use the exploratory search.

View Tutorial

Log In to see more items.

Figure3501/4

Standing wood figure (ibeji), with headdress, on square base. Nude female stands straight with arms at sides, connected to waist. Flat stomach, with grid of raised squares, below pointed breasts. Has pronounced belly button, buttocks, and genitalia. Lines carved along edges of hands and feet, imitating fingers and toes. Figure has a wide nose, smiling mouth, and intersecting lines carved on each cheek. Eyes have holes drilled into their centres. Ears carved in relief and rest flat against head. Horizontal lines across entire top of head, imitating hair. Tall thin headdress forms an arch, spanning from forehead to nape of neck. Decorated with vertical lines along entire length. Feet rest on circular pedestal, drilled into square base.

Culture
Yoruba
Material
wood
Made in
Nigeria ?
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Shrine Figure3455/2

Standing wood shrine figure. Body is rectangular in shape and has geometric and linear motifs incised on the front and sides. Hide collar, coloured black, wrapped around neck. Figure has a wide nose, pronounced brow and lips, and angular eyes. Has a ponytail that protrudes sharply from the back of the head. The end of ponytail connects to the figure's back. Lines incised on portions of hair overtop of head, hanging portion of ponytail is thin and smooth. There is a small gap between the ponytail and the back of the figure’s neck. Extending from all sides of the hide collar are strands of cowrie shells. Long strings of black, red and white glass beads are tied around the ponytail with light brown thread. Two copper coins and one small brass(?) bell are attached to the bead strings, hanging down the back of the figure. Plain brown tie, with knotted ends, is strung between the ponytail and the neck of the figure.

Culture
Yoruba
Material
wood, cowrie shell, brass metal ?, glass, skin, fibre, dye and copper metal
Made in
Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Divination Box3455/3 a-v

Ifa divination tools (parts d-v), stored inside a round, two-tiered container (parts a-c). All components are made of metal. Bottom compartment of container (part a) has a flat base and protruding lip, with a raised edge. The top compartment (part b) sits on top of the lip. Along the top left and right edges of the bottom tier are notches that protrusions from the bottom edges of the top tier fit into, securing the two compartments together. The sides of both tiers are decorated with finely incised bands, consisting of cubes, and plain and diagonal lines. The lid (part c) has a long lip, that fits over the edge of the top compartment, and a circular knob in its centre. There are raised lines across the surface, dividing the lid into bands. There are finely incised decorations in the top and centre bands, consisting of dotted triangles, plain and diagonal lines, and scallops. The divination tools are small and different shapes. Most are rectangles, triangles and squares with raised geometric and curvilinear motifs across their surfaces (parts d-o). Other tools include a horn (part p), scorpion (part q), large bell (part r), small bell (part s), square knot (part t), flat semi-circle with notched edges (part u), and a semi-circle with ridged sides and pointed top (part v).

Culture
Yoruba
Material
brass metal ?
Made in
Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Costume3473/1

Egungun costume. One-piece mask and costume; the cloth mask, with a circular frame, is made of black velvet-like material. Metallic, silver scalloped ribbons decorate the sides and back. The front of the mask is made of a cowrie shell embroidered mesh panel, with wide gaps between the rows where the eyes would be. In the centre of the mesh panel is a hanging strand of cowrie shells and painted beads, with a small bell at the end. Strand secured to panel with plant fibre. A small red, stuffed ball is attached to the bottom centre of the panel. Along the forehead of the mask, above the cowrie shells, is a wide curvilinear motif done in sequins and beads. Fabric covered square board is stitched to the top of the mask. It has a central floral motif and short brown fringe along its edges. Heavily beaded panels hang from all sides of the board- three on the front and each side, one along the back. Panels depict curvilinear, geometric and animal motifs in sequins and beads. Back panel has “AYÏBAMA” written across it. All are lined with orange cotton. Bottom of mask has a frilled collar. Collar made of dark green velvet-like material with metallic gold ribbons, red trim and thick white and red fringe. Underneath the collar, attached to the front and back of the mask, are two weighted bags. Extending from the bags are three layers of long lappets. The top layer is covered entirely in sequins and beads. The designs are geometric, animal and curvilinear. The second and third layers are made of velvet-like material and have geometric, linear and curvilinear motifs. All beaded lappets are trimmed with metallic red zigzag ribbons. First layer of velvet-like lappets are trimmed with silver zigzag ribbons, second layer trimmed with gold zigzag ribbons. All lappets are lined with machine-printed cotton that have frog designs across them. Underneath all of the lappets is a plain red cloth, trimmed with a black zigzag ribbon.

Culture
Yoruba
Material
wood ?, metal, plastic, cotton fibre, glass, plant fibre, cowrie shell and synthetic fibre
Made in
Oyo, Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Figure3478/1 a-b

Tall wooden carving depicting a priestess (part a) on a square base, with a removable headdress (part b). Woman is kneeling on an hourglass-shaped seat, with four additional legs. Seat has raised chevron, cube, scale, circular and linear decorations throughout. Two birds are attached to the back of the seat, facing forward. Overtop of the front leg is a blindfolded figure holding a bird in each hand. The priestess has a wide nose, protruding eyes, large ears and long neck. She is wearing earrings, bracelets, arm bands and necklaces. The woman’s hair has incised lines and triangles throughout, and is styled in a low ponytail. Overtop of her hair is a raised circle with a square protrusion, which fits into the base of the detachable headdress. She is wearing cross body bags on either shoulder and a skirt, with a front tie and geometric design. Tucked into the back of the skirt is a child. It is wearing a hat and has a bag(?) hanging from its shoulders. In her right hand the priestess is holding a curved container(?); in her left she has a bird, that she is eating the head of. Artist signature carved on bottom of figure’s square base. The separate headdress is dome-shaped and has a veil of interlocking rings around the bottom edge. Headdress is crowned with stack of three, small circles. Four bird figures on all sides, facing inward, have their beaks against the top circle. Rest of dome is covered in raised scale, cube and linear decorations. Base of headdress has a square cutout in the centre.

Culture
Yoruba
Material
wood
Made in
Lagos, Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Queen Mother Head SculptureK2.442

Cast bronze, hollow female head. On the head is an elaborate headdress or hairstyle, starting at the hair line and culminating in a cone-shaped projection at the top of the head.

Culture
Edo ?
Material
bronze metal
Made in
Benin City, Edo, Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Maiden Spirit Mask3466/2

Mmwo helmet mask, depicts a female face with an elaborate headdress. Face is coloured dark cream with raised dark brown lines down the centre of the forehead and across brow ridges. Additional lines highlight the eyes, mouth, cheeks, nostrils and ears. Dark brown dots painted down length of the nose. Hair is done in dark brown and has incised spirals and lines throughout. Headdress is on the top centre of the head. Left and right sides consist of rows of tiered, rounded triangles, protruding outward. Three tall arches in centre. Smaller, outer arches are identical, with mostly hollow interiors except for a wavy line through the middle. Central arch has a large semi-circle in the middle, with circle decorations protruding from the edges, connecting it to the arch. Square cut-outs along edges of all arches, where crescent-shaped pieces are inserted. Headdress is painted dark brown with dark cream highlights. Holes through mask for the eyes, mouth and ears. Interior of mask is undecorated.

Culture
Igbo
Material
wood and paint
Made in
Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Maiden Spirit Mask3466/1

Mmwo helmet mask, depicts a female face with an elaborate headdress. Face is cream coloured with raised brown lines highlighting the brow ridge, nose, eyes, mouth and ears. Additional raised dark brown designs on forehead and around ears, decorated with incised lines, painted cream. The designs are two circles next to the ears and a star-like shape on the forehead. Brown circles are painted on the cheeks, at ends of raised lines. Hair is painted dark brown and has incised spirals and lines throughout. Headdress is on top centre of head. It consists of three arches. The smaller, outer arches are cream coloured and have dark brown circles protruding from the outer sides. Below them are dark brown, irregularly shaped arches that extend toward the sides of the mask. Central arch consists of curved, dark brown poles with a hollow semi-circle on top. In middle of semi-circle are white and dark brown circles. Square cut-outs along edges of all arches, where crescent-shaped pieces are inserted. Holes through mask for eyes, mouth and ears. Wrapped cloth border tied around lower edge of mask, interior is undecorated. Large sections of mask’s headdress are missing.

Culture
Igbo
Material
wood, paint and cotton fibre
Made in
Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Textile3343/5

Rectangular tie-dye cloth with dark brown, yellow and orange designs. Repeating V shapes, pointing towards the left side, across entire length of textile. V’s span from top to bottom edges. Pattern outlined in gold and alternate between dark brown and orange V's. Dark brown crumple designs throughout the V pattern. Left and right sides are unhemmed.

Culture
West African
Material
cotton fibre and dye
Made in
Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Dress3343/9

Kaftan style dress with tie-dye circle designs. Dark green circle overtop gold background in the centre of the dress, on both the front and back, and a dark green circle around the entire neckline. Other streaks of dark green and lighter gold throughout. Yellow embroidery around neckline, sleeves and along bottom edge. Embroidery along sleeves and bottom edge in shape of wavy line. Small embroidered circles span the entire neckline, with loops on top of them. On the front of the dress, extending down from the collar, are eight large embroidered circles outlined with loops and curls. The large circles form an inverted triangle. The interior of the dress has white cotton around the collar, with the same embroidery on it as the exterior. Attached to the lining are two cotton circles- one white, one dark green. The circles also have embroidery on them. All edges of dress are hemmed.

Culture
West African
Material
dye and cotton fibre
Made in
Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record