Both are of carved wood with traces of pigment and represent a male and a female. Female figure is decorated with a necklace and waist tassel. An Ibeji doll represents a dead twin. The Yoruba have the highest rate of twin births in the world (45 out of 1000) with an infant mortality rate of 50 per sent. The Yoruba believe that the twins share a single soul so if one dies, a companion figure is carved and treated as if it were alive. They are honored with libations and prayers because it is believed that they influence the life of the family. The smaller twin is 10"H and the taller is 10-1/4"H, approx. 3-1/2"W x 2-1/2"D.
500/700
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