Helmet mask "agbogho mmwo" ·  Nigeria, Igbo · ID: 3030846

Description

wood, the facial plane whitened with kaolin while facial features and raised scarification marks are accentuated by black paint, crowned by a three-parted bow-shaped coiffure, min. dam., missing parts, traces of abrasion;
according to Cole representing the “spirit of a young maiden” - “agbogho mmwo”. Belonging to the men’s “mmwo” society. Such masks were worn by young men on harvest festivities and at the annual ceremonies in honour of the earth spirit “ane”. The dancers wore coloured tight costumes with false breasts.

The object Helmet mask “agbogho mmwo” with the object ID 3030846 was last part of the auction 68th tribal art auction at March 3, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 369 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,100.

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