Mask

72-28-2

From: Nigeria

Curatorial Section: African

View All (1) Object Images

Object Number 72-28-2
Current Location Collections Storage
Culture Yoruba
Provenience Nigeria
Section African
Materials Wood
Technique Carved | Painted
Iconography Cicatrisation | bird | snake
Description

Wooden helmet mask, light colored of soft wood. Pigments mostly faded off except for blue and some white. Short once white face. Blue almond shaped heavy lidded eyes. Lids white. Horizontal pupil slits. Short flat nose, nostrils open. Short closed yellow-brown mouth. Three blue scarification marks on each cheeks. Lumpy ears. Ridge around bottom. Flat semicircular headdress around head, once red-brown. Bird standing on head biting a snake. Snake has diamond pattern, outlined in blue filled with lt. blue, yellow-brown and black. Whole mask rubbed inside with red pigment, mostly gone.

Height 31 cm
Outside Diameter 25.5 cm
Credit Line Gift of Mrs. J. D. Kingsley in memory of her late husband, 1972

Report problems and issues to digitalmedia@pennmuseum.org.