260896 - Extremely Rare Antique African Mambila heads - Cameroon.

Extremely Rare Antique African Mambila heads - Cameroon.
This type of mask is used in initiation ceremonies.

Hand carved from a single piece of wood.
Height: 7cm and 6 cm.

This Mambila heads dates from the first half of the 20th century and was purchased in my private collection in 1991, with a certificate of authenticity.

Hand carved from a single piece of wood and about 100 years old or older.

The Mambila are located at the border of Cameroon, East Nigeria. They created statues of ancestors, objects of protection and masks used for the biennial sowing and harvest festivities. The Mambila were famous for their highly stylized black, white and red painted animal masks. They were kept hidden from the eyes of women and were guarded by the head of the family.

Cf: Lexikon Afrikanische Kunst und Kultur, Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler, page 269