Asen. Iron Altars from Ouidah, Republic of Benin. [Exhibition catalog]. December
Cover lightly rubbed, otherwise good and clean. - From the text: Asen in Life and Death. In Ouidah each extended family owns many asen, which are kept in a special building (dehoho) in the household courtyard that is reserved for ceremonial functions. In theory there is one for every ancestor, but time and family income may necessitate group dedications. The eldest woman of the family is responsible for their care (Herskovits 1938, 1:157-58). Asen serve as tangible links between the living family and their dead. Asen remind the living of their obligations to those who, although no longer in the day-to-day world, are still considered to be part of the family. The ancestors provide counsel and help, but can injure the living if ignored or insulted.
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