Mask - Congo (No reserve price)
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Ijo African mask from Congo, carved in wood, with a height of 65 cm and a width of 18 cm, dating to the 1980s–1990s and 1990s, in good condition with some wear and age-related stains.
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Description from the seller
African tribal art mask, a rare Ijo piece representing a porcupine. The body of the animal is bristling with sticks depicting the quills, with notched edges pierced with openings where the raffia adornment was fixed. The base of the mask is eroded.
The Ijo, inhabitants of the Niger Delta, derive their subsistence mainly from fishing and agriculture. Their small villages are situated in marshy areas west of the Nun River, which naturally influenced their cosmogony.
Many references to their warrior past are found in their reliquaries, rituals and masked celebrations. Their masks and other works are intended to honor the aquatic spirits, called "oru" or "owuamapu", which they venerate and to whom sacrifices were offered. Fishermen had to avoid offending these spirits, as they could provoke their wrath, manifested through the various dangerous animal species of the region such as hippopotamuses, crocodiles or the
African tribal art mask, a rare Ijo piece representing a porcupine. The body of the animal is bristling with sticks depicting the quills, with notched edges pierced with openings where the raffia adornment was fixed. The base of the mask is eroded.
The Ijo, inhabitants of the Niger Delta, derive their subsistence mainly from fishing and agriculture. Their small villages are situated in marshy areas west of the Nun River, which naturally influenced their cosmogony.
Many references to their warrior past are found in their reliquaries, rituals and masked celebrations. Their masks and other works are intended to honor the aquatic spirits, called "oru" or "owuamapu", which they venerate and to whom sacrifices were offered. Fishermen had to avoid offending these spirits, as they could provoke their wrath, manifested through the various dangerous animal species of the region such as hippopotamuses, crocodiles or the
Details
Era
1900-2000
No. of items
1
Material
Wood
Country of Origin
Congo
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
65 cm
Width
18 cm
Estimated period
1980-1990, 1990-2000
