Antelope mask

Description

wood, brown patina, remains of pigments, mirror glass, forehead and nose ridge decorated with cowrie snails, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage (back), slight traces of abrasion;
initiation communities are a central institution within the social structure of the Bamana and “ntomo” forms the first of this communities. Present mask presumably belonging to the “ntomo” society, which is indicated by the lack of the mouth, for this underlines the central lesson of the “ntomo”, i. e. the control of the word and the merit of keeping silence.