Rare anthropomorphic face mask "eku" · Nigeria, Benue River Valley region, Niger-Benue Confluence, Ebira (Igbira) · ID: 3046978
not available anymore
Provenance
Phlippe Ancart, Brussels, BelgiumJean-Pierre Jernander, Brussels, Belgium
Size
H: 32,5 cm
H: 12.8 inch
Description
wood, kaolin, animal teeth, base
This mask probably appeared during a mask festival called “ekueci”, where the deceased returned to enjoy the hospitality of the living.
This night festival marked the end of the transition period from one year to the next. Women were strictly excluded from this festival, where different types of masks appeared.
Comparing literature
Berns, Marla C. et. al., Arts of the Benue River Valley, Los Angeles 2011, p. 156, ill. 4.28