Janus Shango Dance Wand, Yoruba, Nigeria
Janus Shango Dance Wand, Yoruba, Nigeria
$1,200.00
Dance wand for the Shango cult with 2 heads, Osé-Sàngó (Oshe Shango)
Wood
Early 20th century
11.75 x 2.5 in. / 30 x 6 cm
Height on custom display stand: 13.75 in. / 35 cm
The Yoruba deity Shango commanded great powers of nature such as lightning and thunder, and in dreadful storms, he would hurl them down upon those who did not respect him. In sculpture, devotees to Shange were depicted with a double-axe form sprouting from their head, as seen here. Dance wands known as Oshe Shango were carried, cradled, waved, and thrusted during dances in Shango’s honor (Visonà, Poynor, and Cole, A History of Art in Africa, 2008
Domestic shipping included. International shipping quoted separately.