Nigeria – Oshugbo in Ijebu region; Ogboni in Oyo region
Yoruba

Metal
Late 19th – Early 20th Century
Diameter:   7.25 inches 
Idiophone – Struck Indirectly – Shaken -Rattle Adornment

Among the Yoruba who live in the Ijebu region of the southern Yoruba, a secret  society known as Oshugbo was open to all adult males and females. While in the Oyo region the society was known as Ogboni and spreading to other areas of the Yoruba. These societies  gained great power and authority serving political and judicial roles.   Membership in Oshugbo/Ogboni and the level of authority that one held within the secret society was indicated by ownership of bronze figures or ritual bracelets owned by each member as they sat as a council of elders to settle disputes or deal with political affairs of the town. Cast brass or bronze rattle/bracelets such as this called ‘saworo’ have been identified with Oshugbo/Ogboni activities and their use can be dated in early Yoruba history, however their actual use and symbolic meaning is still not fully understood within this secretive society.   As a symbolic object it is thought that they serve a similar purpose, as do the cast brass Oshugbo/Ogboni figures among the Yoruba, in that the bracelet/rattle would indicate one’s rank within the Secret Oshugbo/Ogboni Society and reflect through the complex iconography the relationship with Ogun, the Yoruba deity of iron.

This Yoruba (Ijebu Ode) ring-shaped rattle has four pods that contain the rattle of which two are decorated with a chased pattern and the other two with a cast pattern. In between each pod is a masculine face which can be seen in the picture. There are diamond shaped openings on the top, bottom and inner side of the pods.  This possibly comes from the Ogboni in the Oyo region.