This bowl once held consecrated palm nuts used in Ifa divination, a process that guides clients to a fulfilling life. The prosperous man at the center holds a flywhisk and a pipe. His attractive young wives stand on either side of him, holding their breasts in a traditional gesture of greeting. Young men bow down to greet the successful elder, their faces turned toward the viewer. The gentle curving forms of the faces and bodies create a sense of life and fullness. The master sculptors of the Duga workshop are responsible for this perfectly balanced composition, as well as the inspired decision to place the women further back so that light reaches the central figure beneath the curve of the bowl. Field photo: Photo by M. and H. Drewal 1982.