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Headdress

early 1900s
Wood, human hair, paint, and possibly kaolin
Overall: 20.4 x 17.8 x 16.2 cm (8 1/16 x 7 x 6 3/8 in.)
James Albert and Mary Gardiner Ford Memorial Fund 1964.444
Location: 108A Sub-Saharan
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Description

This was used in masked performances of the Agrinya society, a powerful guild formerly restricted to men who had killed an elephant, lion, or man. The white pigment connotes the realm of the ancestors, while the aggressive expression of the face seems to suggest the courage of Agrinya society members.
Headdress

Headdress

early 1900s

Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Idoma-style carver

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