Sale 214 Lot 460

Nigerian Igbo People Agbogho Mmanwu Wooden Mask This carved wooden mask (seen in IMG_2100.jpg) is a traditional artifact from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, specifically representing the Agbogho Mmanwu, or "Maiden Spirit" style. These masks are characterized by their distinctive white-painted faces, traditionally colored with kaolin clay to symbolize the purity, beauty, and peaceful nature of ancestral spirits. The mask features a highly stylized, dark-stained crest or headdress that mimics the elaborate, traditional hairstyles worn by young Igbo women during significant social ceremonies. With its delicate, almond-shaped eyes, narrow nose, and small mouth, the carving embodies the Igbo aesthetic ideal of feminine grace and spiritual refinement. Historically, such masks were worn by men in full-bodied colorful costumes during annual festivals to honor the spirits of deceased maidens and reinforce social moral codes within the community. height: 13 inches
$80-120