https://emuseum.cornell.edu/internal/media/dispatcher/75667/fullFemale twin figure (ere ibeji)[]Wood, glass beads, and camwood and indigo pigmentsWood female twin figure with five-point coiffure and ornamented with bead necklaces and bead belt. The Yoruba people of Nigeria experience the world's highest birthrate of twins (45.1 per 1,000 births vs. 11 per 1,000 in the U.S.). Unfortunately, twin births bring additional health risks and the mortality rate is high. For these reasons, twins enjoy a special status among the Yoruba. Twins receive special gifts and are believed to have unique powers that link them to the spirit world. If a twin (ibeji) should die, the parents commission an artist to make a small carving (ere) to represent the deceased child. The mother treats the ere ibeji as though it were her child - she symbolically feeds, clothes, and washes the small figure. She also carries it along with her live child; she wraps the ere ibeji to her chest while she carries her live child on her back. Such special treatment is believed to comfort the deceased twin, thus preventing the dead child from luring the live twin to join the deceased child in the spirit world. Although small in stature, ere ibeji are not treated as dolls. When the mother is not caring for them as any other child, the figures are placed on a shrine with other ancestral ere ibeji. Ere ibeji are not carved to look like babies or children. With fully developed breasts or genitalia, the figures represent humans in a youthful, but adult, ideal state. Many of these figures have facial scarification, which emphasize their adult status. Ere ibeji feature physical traits admired by the Yoruba: plump arms and legs, large eyes, and elaborate coiffures. Twin sculptures always stand erect, with their hands at their sides. This pose demonstrates spiritual alertness - their eagerness to hear prayers or act. As sculptures, the most prized twin figures are symmetrical (evidence of a gifted sculptor), have shiny, smooth limbs (indicating that they were rubbed regularly with oil) and show residue of camwood powder (a primary ingredient in cleansing libations). Depending on the wealth of the parents, ere ibeji may wear jewelry or clothing that incorporates careful beadwork or rows of cowrie shells. This ere ibeji wears two necklaces. Because all Yoruba twins are believed to be the children of the thundergod, Shango, many ere ibeji wear a red and white beaded necklace.com.gallerysystems.emuseum.core.entities.Classification@60https://emuseum.cornell.edu/objects/24037/rdf