The Brief
- Not just a ring – the artwork represents authentic African (Yoruba) culture and heritage.
- Bronze head featured is an iconic 15th – 16th century African (Yoruba) artwork
- The likeness is believed to be that of an Ooni (Yoruba king) of the ancient city of Ilé-Ifè
- The ring makes a real statement - as does the wearer.
- This ring brings Yoruba & Nigerian heritage into the limelight
- A distinctive cultural gift for lovers of Black history
The Detail
The ring is cast in hallmarked sterling silver. It celebrates the un-matched 15th and 16th century artworks of the Kingdom of Ilé-Ifè, Nigeria, and Yoruba culture. The ring is unisex. Ring Size: UK:'H' to 'P' / US:3.5 to 7 / Circumference: 46 - 56 mm. Mask size: 2.2cm (w) x 4.5cm (h)
The Story
The ring is our representation of an Ife casting from the Kingdom of Ilé-Ifè that was found buried in a compound in the city.
Ilé-Ifè is an ancient city located in Osun state, Nigeria. It is the largest Yoruba city in Nigeria, and is considered to be the spiritual homeland and birthplace of the Yoruba people. In Yoruba tradition, Ile Ife marks the place where the deities descended to the earth and planted the seeds of life.
Ilé-Ifè began to develop as a centre of artistry from around 900 AD. Ilé-Ifè is globally renowned for its sophisticated 13th to 15th century naturalistic artworks. These include bronze, stone, and terracotta artefacts. The artists also worked with copper which is a much more difficult material to work with – but they deployed ingenious methods to produce stunning works.
Leo Frobenius, a German ethnographer who encountered bronze and terracotta heads during a 1910 expedition to Ilé-Ifè was over-awed by these artwork’s aesthetics, artistry, and sophistication. Unfortunately – his tiny puny racist brain was unable to comprehend that these were works produced by local Yoruba people.
The head featured is one of thirteen near-life sized bronze heads found buried in Ilé-Ifè, and is believed to be the likeness of an Ooni, or king, of Ilé-Ifè and dated between the 14th and 15th century. They were discovered during a house-building works in a compound of Wunmonije (a previous Ooni of Ife). The heads are believed to be created in the likeness of people who lived in the era of the Ooni (king) Obalufon II.
For more information see:
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/12-facts-you-need-to-know-about-ife-art-yemisi-shyllon-museum-of-art/TQWB2S-ClCrcNw?hl=en
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/feb/26/kingdom-of-ife-british-museum-review
https://face2faceafrica.com/article/the-history-of-ile-ife-the-ancient-yoruba-kingdom-with-africas-most-striking-sculptures
