Where did it go Wednesday #1

Yoruba Triplets

The Yoruba people of western Africa believe that twins and triplets share a combined, inseparable soul—and thus, when one twin dies, the life of the other is imperiled. As a symbolic substitute for the departed one, Yoruba artisans carve the small wooden figurines seen here, (called “ere ibeji”), which are then handsomely dressed, reverently cared for, and provided with offerings.

Interestingly, the Yoruba people also have the world’s highest prevalence of twins: 45–50 twin sets per 1,000 live births.

These triplets (two males and one female, each 10 ¾” high) were sold in January 2018 for a winning bid of $375, and now reside in #France.