A rare terracotta statue that was recently intercepted by customs at Schiphol has been returned to Nigeria. It is the first formal restitution of illegally traded art since the Netherlands joined a UNESCO treaty on this in 2009.
It is a pottery statue of 16 centimeters high that represents a woman with braided hair. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the statue is typical of the Ifé area in Nigeria and is said to date from the period between the 12th and 15th centuries. Similar images were modeled for altars and tombs at the time.
The statue was found by customs in a package intended for a Dutch private person. After an inspection by the Inspectorate for Government Information and Heritage, the authenticity of the artwork was confirmed and today officially received by a Nigerian diplomat.
The cup has line patterns all over the face, which is seen as characteristic of Ifé art:
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