Altar Mask
Eket · Nigeria
Reference: MCYC-13
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- Height
- 57 cm
- Material
- Wood and pigments
Mask helmet also used as an altar to worship the ancestors and Ala, divinity of the earth, to be favorable in the harvests. It belongs to…
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Full original description
Mask helmet also used as an altar to worship the ancestors and Ala, divinity of the earth, to be favorable in the harvests. It belongs to the secret society Ekong. Magnificent helmet-height mask featuring three heads, one on the upper platform, accompanied by a bird on the skull and two on the sides. In the lower part, two heads, like Janus, opposing the skull, with geometrical intermediate figures, polychrome and triangle-shaped. The perimeter is full of holes to hold the clothing of its wearer during dances. Rugous patina, dark brown.
Further technical information
- Attributed period
- First third century XX
Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.
Country on the map
Nigeria. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.
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Attributions, dates and accounts come from the preserved catalogue. They do not constitute certification of authenticity or provenance. An object’s presence on this website does not mean it is available for sale.
