Final answer:
The Ifa Divination Board from Yoruba, Nigeria is made from wood and features intricate carvings significant to Ifa divination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medium of the Ifa Divination Board from Yoruba, Nigeria is wood. The Yoruba people, who inhabited the region around the 12th century, used wood as the primary material to create the Ifa Divination Board. Wood was readily available and easily carved and shaped into the desired form for the divination board.
Wood is a versatile and durable material that can be intricately carved to represent the symbols and patterns used in the Ifa Divination practice. The use of wood as the medium for the Ifa Divination Board allowed for the board to be both functional and aesthetically appealing.
These boards are intricately carved by Yoruba artists and play a significant role in the divination rituals of the Ifa religion. The shapes and symbols carved into the wood are essential to the practice and influence the spiritual readings. Each board is exceptionally refined and detailed, showcasing the high level of craftsmanship in Yoruba art. Moreover, the artworks of Yoruba, including the Ifa board, are instrumental in preserving and conveying oral traditions and philosophical ideas, much like the bronze plaques of Benin warriors that were created using the lost wax method to create exact replicas of ceremonial swords in clay.