African Arts Gallery

In a specially dedicated room in the house, the great families of Benin (formerly Dahomey) kept portable altars made from pieces of metal. These objects, known as Asen, took the form of sticks and were created individually for each ancestor. They served as intermediaries between the world of the living and that of the dead. The rituals linked to these altars took place during ceremonies called “ahanbiba”, specifically during the dry season. During these rituals, prayers and offerings were dedicated to the ancestors.
In complex funeral ceremonies, an Asen was dedicated to a specific ancestor, and sacrifices were dedicated to him throughout the year. The Yoruba of neighboring Nigeria used similar sticks, decorated with bird emblems, for diviners. These objects were used in divination ceremonies linked to the god of herbalists and occult sciences, Osanyin, or to the god of divination, Orunmila.
The sculptures represent ancestors characterized by their achievements before passing into the world of the dead, as well as their social status within the community. The interpretation of these sculptures often referred to proverbs, charades, and personal details known only to the patron and the sculptor.