Headdress

Description

Wooden headdress or mask carved with a female face with scarification marks topped with three human figures (a European male and female couple and a Muslim trader on horseback), a tortoise on either side are common characters in Yoruba folktales, with blue, white and ochre pigments, worn on top of the head as part of a Gelede society masquerade performance costume: Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Western State, Yoruba people, early 20th century

Museum reference

A.1939.1

Collection

World Culture

Object name

Headdress, Mask

Production information

Unknown
Western State, Southern Nigeria, Nigeria, Western Africa

Date

Early 20th century

Style / Culture

Yoruba

Materials

Wood

Physical description

Cottonwood headdress or mask, carved with a female face with scarification marks topped with three human figures which are representations of a European male and female couple and a Muslim trader on horseback, a tortoise carved on either side of the headdress are common characters in Yoruba folktales, with blue, white and ochre pigments.

Associations

Gelede Society

Exhibitions

• Performance and Lives (29 Jul 2011)
  National Museum of Scotland

On display

national museum of scotland »
level 3 »
world cultures, performance and lives »
mt.2