African+Art+and+Religion

**African art and religion are one in the same, however there is still much research to be done on the relationship between the two. This relationship is sometimes misunderstood. The study of this relationship gives us incite into a community to learn how they control the forces they believe surround them. Art objects which can consist of animal, human or object replicas are used repeatedly by the community. Since these objects are not usually for individual use, it can be used as a way of looking into the community as a whole.** **Yoruba Divine Art** ** The Yoruba people reside in Nigeria and the Peoples Republic of Benin. Yoruba art has established itself as one of the oldest and finest art traditions in Africa today. The Yoruba had already established their artistic capabilities by 1100 AD. Although the art of these people include figurines depicting daily life, most Yoruba art, like many other African peoples, is created with religious purposes in mind. Art pieces that hold the most significant religious value to the Yoruba people are those which depict the Yoruba Cosmos. This art is commonly made out of a spherical gourd whose top and bottom half fit together. This represents the two realms that make up the Yoruba Cosmos. Aye, which is the visible world of the living, and Orun, which is the invisible world that houses all the spirits, such as the deceased ancestors, gods, and other divine spirits. These are often etched with depictions of the universe as seen through the eyes of the Yoruba people. They are used regularly by priest during rituals. **