Yoruba Ibedji (effigies) representing dead twins, Nigeria, West Africa. Some Yoruba tribes revere twins, who are thought to bring luck to household and tribe. The death of one is a great calamity. A wooden figure, called Ibedji, is made to house the spirit of the dead child and be a companion for the surviving twin. The Ibedji figure becomes a cult-object in the family and the mother tends it, offers it food and decks it with beads, cowrie shells, red camwood and other adornments.

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Yoruba Ibedji (effigies) representing dead twins, Nigeria, West Africa. Some Yoruba tribes revere twins, who are thought to bring luck to household and tribe. The death of one is a great calamity. A wooden figure, called Ibedji, is made to house the spirit of the dead child and be a companion for the surviving twin. The Ibedji figure becomes a cult-object in the family and the mother tends it, offers it food and decks it with beads, cowrie shells, red camwood and other adornments. Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.