SW Nigeria and Benin
Yoruba

Ivory and bronze
18th century or older
Length: 15 inches
Aerophone – Lip Vibrated – Horn

The Yoruba are an ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria and southern Benin in West Africa. This 18th century ivory horn has a metal bronze sleeve on the top with bronze carvings and chameleons on the bottom.  The chameleons are a symbol of the  messengers that live above the ground and below the ground where ancestors are buried.  The ivory is extremely old and reinforced with a metal sleeve on top, but the horn still plays well.