Ibierugha
Ibierugha (attendant figures) are in the first stage of being initiated into chieftaincy. They are wearing the Odigba, which is the bead collar worn by the Ọba and chiefs, and have a distinctive hairstyle or headdress which would have been the fashion for chiefs.
Ibierugha are either carved in ivory or cast in brass/bronze. As with much of Benin art, they are not portraits of specific people, but depict in a general manner attendants who would have served the Ọba. The boys or men all wear a distinctive headdress or hairstyle with a raised section down the centre part. The figures are often naked except for a beaded string or girdle around the waist or hips, and they often wear a beaded choker which can only be worn by an individual of high rank in the court. The figures usually stand on top of square bases decorated with low relief guilloche motifs.
Educational Material
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