carved wood mirror case, carved on both sides. rectangular case with animals on the top. snake on left eating a rooster (in the middle) eating a small animal with long tail, no ears and bulging eyes on the side of its head (on the right). U-shaped pieces of metal act as hinges on top and bottom of each of the 2 doors, on overlaps the other. door fronts have geometric patterns. diamond shape with diagonal incisions on the top and bottom of each door with outlined blank back, center piece. area under rooster's head has a semi-circular divet removed. blue and green pegment inside on lower snake has 5 diagonal stripes on portion of its body. snake teeth are large, pointy and fill the mouth. interior of diamond-shapes on the back are cross-hatched. 34.5 cm high x 15.5 cm wide x 4.5 cm deep.
Donor:
Berta Bascom
Collection place:
Nigeria
Verbatim coll. place:
West Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba; Purchased from Baba Kaba
Culture or time period:
Yoruba
Collector:
Berta Bascom and William Russell Bascom
Collection date:
1971
Materials:
Glass (material), Metal, and Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Carvings (visual works)
Function:
5.0 Use not specified (Ritual, Pageantry, and Recreation)
Accession date:
December 15, 1995
Context of use:
use outside of a mirror case is unknown, the bird pecking at a snake is common motif in Yoruba art. this is a reverse of that motif. roots may lie in a folk tale or legend.
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Dimensions:
height 34.5 centimeters, depth 4.5 centimeters, and width 15.5 centimeters