Browse Items (10 total)

The Kuba Kingdom was founded in the 16th century. Geometric design, cowrie shells, and vegetable fiber are characteristics of this example of a mask worn by the men of royal descent for coronation rituals or during a chief's installation. There is…

A bulging woman sits atop the handle of this spoon. The spoon is made of carved wood with a red brown patina. A spoon such as with would be used to serve a ceremonial or community meal.

At the bottom of this large carved wood mask is a round face with a handle for holding it in front of the wearer. The mask is made of wood, with brown and black vegetable pigment, brown indigo, and white kaolin.

This warthog’s head mask has cutouts for the dancer’s eyes just below the painted eyes. The mask is made of carved wood with a black vegetable pigment patina with white kaolin, blue indigo and red earth pigment. Some indigenous fabric remnants are…

This male figure has his hands on his hips and has large feet with pronounced toes. The figure is bronze, made with lost wax casting. It is one of a kind.

At the bottom of this large carved wood mask is a round face with a handle for holding it in front of the wearer. The mask of wood, with brown and black vegetable pigment, brown indigo, and white kaolin.

The mask is used by the Sande women’s society who live in an area known as the West Atlantic region which in the 15 century was called Guinea by European explorers. Sande society prepares young women for womanhood. When they have completed their…

The Ibo and Ekoi people live in Eastern Nigeria. Among the Ibo, the Ekpo secret society uses a variety of masks for paying tribute to their ancestors who they believe are in charge of their well-being. Mask features may be calm or fierce in…

This is an example of a ladder carved from a tree that the Dogon people use for climbing into a granary and in some instances, a home. There is a similarity in the shape at the top to that of the top of a togu na post. The arms signify the nommo, the…

Luba figures tend to have a polished surface with a deep patina. Sculptors attach considerable significance to detail creating naturalistic proportions along with intricate hair patterns.