Browse Items (13 total)

A primary characteristic of Grebo masks are portruding eyes. The elongated nose is also a stylistic feature. It is not uncommon for a Grebo mask to possess multiple sets of tubular eyes.

This is an example of a male head mask having a headdress made of feathers and fibers. The common features are distinct curving lines surrounding the brow and cheekbone. On the forehead is a carved scarification mark referred to as cingelyengelye.…

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…

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…

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…

There are various groups of people living in the Burkina Faso region reflected by a wide range in forms and types of masks. This example has a hand grip, beard, small mouth and four eyes and a crest. Masks are worn in ceremonies relating to farming,…

One of the stylish features of many of the Chokwe masks is an exaggerated bone structure and a broad mouth exemplified by this mask. The scarification in the center of the forehead is referred to as cingelyengelye. The Chokwe have had an artistic…

This tear drop-shaped face mask is made of carved wood with a varied dark brown patina. The hair is a wrapped fiber braid and the ears have twisted copper earrings. Attached to the chin are four brass bells and an animal tooth. The back of the mask…

Carved wood with dark brown vegetable pigment patina with white kaolin in the form of a rounded monkey’s face with minimal features and concave white face, round protruding eyes, elongated nose, diminutive mouth with 4 lines of scarification…