Ooni

This brass head (14th–early 15th c.) from Ife in Nigeria represents an Ooni, the sacred king regarded as the spiritual center of Yoruba society. Its vertical facial striations, beaded crown, and traces of red pigment reflect courtly metalworking and ritual adornment. The calm, naturalistic features express an ideal of kingship rooted in divine ancestry, ceremonial authority, and the enduring prestige of Ife’s royal lineage.