Face mask with articulated lower jaw "elu" ("spirit") · Nigeria, Ogoni · ID: 3049641
sold
EUR 450
Provenance
Bernhard Jäger, Frankfurt a. M., GermanySize
H: 20 cm
H: 7.9 inch
Description
wood, two-part, pigments, plant fibre, base
“Elu” masks appeared on many occasions: to promote fertility prior to the New Yam festival, to bring ancestral blessings and dispel evil spirits.
A simple mechanism allowed the wearer to move the jaw for use in masquerades or plays.