Ife terracotta works are a wide and diversified corpus of sculptures and jars showing human, animal, and otherworldly motifs. These works span in size from nearly lifesize, full-length figures to tiny figurines about six inches tall, and their styles range from intense naturalism to abstract forms. The original purpose of these pieces is uncertain. Terracottas are typically connected with shrines, although the majority of these pieces have been discovered in secondary sites where they have been incorporated into current ritual, making it difficult to determine their original use. Works discovered near and far from the centrally positioned palace indicate that the art pieces were used for a variety of reasons by persons other than royalty.
This particular Ife terracotta is that of a hippopotamus with royal regalia on its head.
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