This wooden bowl nicely shaped is a work of a Nupe artist. The artworks of the Nupe are highly respected, even though the variety of objects they produce is very small. The limited nature of Nupe art is due to the strict influence of Islam, which has controlled the social and religious life of the Nupe for at least 250 years. Muslim law forbids the use of art objects that possess human figural elements, considering them profane. The Nupe, unable to express themselves in such fashion, ins…