Ile-Ife

Ile-Ife holds a position in Yoruba tradition as the place where creation began and from which the Yoruba peoples dispersed, and it remains the ritual centre, with the Ooni as its ruler. Its archaeological importance is separate and considerable: from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries artists here produced heads and figures in terracotta and in copper alloy of a naturalism that startled European scholars when first published in the early twentieth century, and which are now recognised as one of the great sculptural traditions of the world. The Ife Museum holds a collection of them. The Ooni's palace, the Opa Oranmiyan staff, groves and shrines around the city complete a visit.

What you actually see

• The Ife Museum - the naturalistic terracotta and copper alloy heads.
• The Ooni's palace - the compound of the Yoruba ritual ruler.
• Opa Oranmiyan - the tall carved granite staff in the city.
• Shrines and groves - the ritual sites around Ile-Ife.

When to go

November to March in the dry season. Olojo, the annual festival at which the Ooni wears the Are crown, falls usually around October and is the great ceremonial occasion. Weekday mornings suit the museum.

Honest expectations

Some of the finest Ife pieces are held abroad or in Lagos rather than in the city. The museum is small and dated. Palace access is restricted and photography usually prohibited. Shrine visits require permission and are not tourist sites.

Nearby

Osun-Osogbo grove lies north; Ibadan is west.