Zemanek-Münster

Yams cult mask "mma ji" ·  Nigeria, Igbo-Afikpo · ID: 3047120

not available anymore
Provenance
Heinrich Siemers, Bayreuth, Germany (coll.1969/70 in Cameroon)
Size
H: 36,5 cm
H: 14.4 inch

Description

wood, pigments, plant fibre, cord, base

The upright projection on this mask represents a yam-cutting knife “mma ji”, which gave the mask its name.

Accordingly, the masks appear, among others, at dances of the “ikwum” society, performed to thank ancestors for the strength given to men to cultivate fields.


The object Yams cult mask “mma ji” with the object ID 3047120 was last part of the auction 95th Tribal Art Auction at October 24, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 178.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.


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