Very rare head of the Owo-People, a subgroup of the Yoruba. 400 to 500 years old.
In 1969 Ekpo Eyo excavated a site in the Yoruba town of Owo and found terracotta sculptures dating to the 15th century. Owo is situated halfway between the Nigerian towns of Ife and Benin, and so it is not surprising that Owo art displays characteristics of both traditions. The Ife style is quite obvious on this Owo terracotta head. The overlap at the corners of the eye, the raised edge of the lips, and the parallel line on the upper eyelids are all Ife traits. Cat's-whiskers scars are typical for Owo.