Description

Despite its functional form, this Yoruba stool was likely used exclusively for ceremonial or symbolic purposes.This stool features a circular top held up by a figure of a kneeling mother with a child on her back, who is wrapped to her with a checkered black and yellow cloth. Motherhood is sacred to the Yoruba, and thus images of mother and child are commonly depicted, as they invoke sentiments of honor, sacrifice, and love. There is also a connection to the divine - as Yoruba mothers would regularly present offerings to encourage the divinities to ensure the health and well-being of their children. This stool could be used for shrines, diviniation, or royal architectural contexts.