
Akhẹ-Osun (Osun pot) is a specific term for the pot used for storing medicinal plants at the Osun Shrine. Akhẹ-Osun can be distinguished by the high-relief decorative motifs around the rim of these pots, which are often figurative. The motifs depend on the deity at whose shrine the Akhẹ-Osun was used for medicine. We have Akhẹ-Osun Ake, Akhẹ-Osun Ebomisi, Akhẹ-Osun Olokun, Akhẹ-Osun Oghidian and many other deities.
Akhẹ-Osun, Akhẹ-Amẹ and Akhẹ are all grouped under the English designation ‘pots’.
Digital Benin collates digital material from institutions, and some of this material is inherently colonial and contains words, terms and phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory and harmful towards African and African diasporic communities. Catalogue transcriptions, book titles, exhibition titles and museum titles may contain harmful terms. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. Owing to the scale of the collection’s data, a process to implement sensitive-content warnings in the displayed data is still incomplete. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities. Read more about the background of this statement here