A Mumuye shoulder mask, North-East region, along the Benue River Taraba State, Djalingo village, Nigeria. This shoulder mask (masque d’épaule) is attributed to Mumuye sculptural traditions from northeastern Nigeria, in the upper Benue River region of present-day Taraba State, with Djalingo among the communities associated with such forms. Mumuye “shoulder masks” are part of a broader sculptural repertoire that includes figurative works used in ritual, healing, and social regulation contexts, though their precise functions remain partly opaque due to limited early ethnographic documentation and the esoteric nature of many associated practices. Unlike face masks worn in front of the face, shoulder masks are designed to be supported on or above the wearer’s shoulders, creating a composite figure in which human body and sculpted form merge into a single ritual presence. This configuration transforms the performer into an embodied support structure, while the carved element projects an intensified, enlarged identity visible during ritual movement or performance. The resulting effect is not naturalistic representation but a heightened, hybrid presence operating within ceremonial space. The hairstyle described as resembling a rooster’s comb (Hahnenkamm) is a striking and recurring motif in Mumuye sculpture. Such crest-like coiffures emphasize verticality and directional energy, often suggesting vitality, alertness, or spiritual potency. The head in Mumuye figural traditions is typically a focal point of expressive abstraction, and elaborated hair forms serve to extend the silhouette upward, reinforcing the sense of elevation and charged presence. The rounded ears contribute to a balanced formal symmetry and may also relate to the emphasis on sensory openness or attentiveness in sculptural representation. Mumuye figures are generally characterized by a synthesis of geometric clarity and expressive exaggeration, with elongated bodies, simplified limbs, and carefully structured volumes that produce a strong vertical and rhythmic composition. Even when naturalistic references are present, they are subordinated to an overarching sculptural logic of balance, tension, and stylized proportion. In Mumuye ritual contexts, sculpture is often associated with healing practices and the mediation of unseen forces affecting health and social harmony. Figures and masks may be activated through interaction with ritual specialists, used in therapeutic or protective settings, or integrated into broader systems of spiritual negotiation. The shoulder mask format intensifies this role by directly incorporating the human body into the object’s function, reinforcing the idea that power is not external to the body but mediated through embodied performance. The Benue River corridor, including Taraba State, is one of the most diverse sculptural regions in West Africa, with interrelated traditions among Mumuye, Chamba, Jukun, and other groups. Within this environment, sculptural forms often share structural tendencies—elongation, abstraction, and emphasis on the head—while maintaining distinct local identities. The present mask, with its crest-like coiffure and rounded ears, exemplifies the Mumuye preference for dynamic vertical form and concentrated formal expression, where bodily exaggeration serves as a vehicle for ritual presence rather than natural depiction. References Fagg, William. Tribes and Forms in African Art. London: Thames and Hudson, 1965. Fardon, Richard. Between God, the Dead and the Wild: Chamba Interpretations of Ritual and Landscape. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1990. Kirk-Greene, A. H. M. Adamawa Past and Present. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1958. Rubin, Arnold. Arts of the Upper Benue River. Los Angeles: Museum of Cultural History, University of California, 1984. Sieber, Roy, and Arnold Rubin. Sculpture of Black Africa. New York: Museum of Primitive Art, 1968. This description is made with AI. Despite careful individual review, the use of Artificial Intelligence may result in errors or inaccuracies in the description.