Yoruba Ori headdress, Nigeria Fabric, cowrie shells, mirror, leather H. 59 cm Provenance : Alan Donovan, circa 1960, Los Angeles Acquired from him by the current owner, French private collection A receptacle for the soul and spiritual protection, the Ile ori, meaning "the house of the head" in the Yoruba language, contained a sanctuary called ibori, dedicated to the spirit and spirituality. The ori island covered with cowrie shells protected the individual spiritually and literally, through the accumulation of wealth symbolized by these shells which, in the past, were exchanged and also served as currency. Upon the death of their owners, the ile ori were traditionally dismantled, their cowrie shells redistributed to family members and shared, again they circulated. Very nice copy. The headdress is composed of a cylindrical base and an openwork superstructure in the form of a dome, lined with cowries and decorated with rectangular glass mirrors, topped with a bird at the top.