Headdress "ngontang" with three faces ·  Gabon, Fang / Tsogho · ID: 3045700

Description

wood, kaolin, missing parts, cracks, insect caused damage

“Ngontang” literally means “young white woman”. Colouring with white kaolin clay is said to be based on the Fang’s belief that supernatural powers are inherent in European and American missionaries, and women in particular. “Ngontang” headdresses are said to have been used specifically to detect witches.

The object Headdress “ngontang” with three faces with the object ID 3045700 was last part of the auction 92nd Tribal Art Auction at June 29, 2019 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 91 achieved a sales price of EUR 500.

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Comparing literature

Perrois, Louis, Arts du Gabon, Paris 1979, ill. 91