Cimier de danse anthropomorphe, avant 1905

Description

wooden core, with the exception of eyes and mouth opening entirely coated with animal skin (antelope), dyed reddish and blackish brown, eyes with tin sheet inlay, inserted wooden teeth, coiffure from real hair, raised scarification marks on forehead, temples and neck, handwritten inscription in white paint: “43112- Bangwa- v. Knobloch- v. Linden.”, collection number “43112” inner side, old collection label: “… 43112-W.Afr. Kamerun.Bangwa. - Kopf - Gesch.Graf v. Linden.Ges.Hptm.v.Knobloch”, slightly dam. (small tear above the root of the nose), minor missing part (part of tin inlay/left eye), base;
in former times such dance crests were said to have been made from real human skulls taken from killed enemies. They were exhibited on special trophee parades, worn by young men as a sign of manliness.
The headdresses have a realistic, but not a portrayal character. They do not represent one specific ancestor. In fact they were handed down from one generation to another, thus - as a whole - embodying the nobel doings of every ancestor, who ever possessed it.
The use of human skin for coating the wooden core is just vaguely proved, commonly the skins of antelope, ape or sheep were used.
The skin-covered headdresses were used - among others - by the “ngbe”-society of the Ejagham, which can be looked upon as the oldest Cross River secret society. In their language “ngbe” means “leopard”. The cult of the leopard had a unifying effect on the scattered communities of the Cross River Area.
From June 1903 Lieutenant von Knobloch was employed in the German colonial protection force (Schutztruppe) in Cameroon. Around 1904/05 he was stationed in Bamenda and Bamum. He was involved in the subjugation of the Anjang and participated in several military expeditions and helped subordinate the local chiefs to German sovereignty. In October 1905 he resigned his position in the protection force.

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AHDRC: 0090769