Mask "kpelie" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Senufo · ID: 3034566

Description

heavy wood, partly encrusted, partly shiny brown patina, crude forms, the characteristic plug-like projections on both sides of the chin missing, surmounted by a seated female figure, rep. (nose), dam., missing parts (arms), cracks, traces of abrasion, metal socle;
in literature this mask type is called “kpelie”, which comes from the Senufo word for “jumping”. A generic term in later research is “kodal”. The masks should drive away the spirit of the deceased from his homestead during the funeral ceremonies.