African wood mask antiques Hand Carved Wooden decor IgboIbo Burkina Faso Masks for wall-8933

33.5/24.5 -CM
Ex-collection British mask African art. Version of the African Igbo mask Agbogo Mmwo mask, this mask has thin horizontal incisions indicating the eyes, an emaciated face coated with white, scarifications and tattoos in checkerboard raised of a dark hue. Crusty patina. The white color of the mask refers to ancestral spirits, these mask frequently accompany the deceased during funeral rites. Indeed, mmwo mask means "spirit of the dead mask ". Igbo live in the forest in south-eastern Nigeria. They have managed to combine a deep sense ofindividuality with an equally strong sense of belonging to the group. Their political system is complex and little known. The village is the largest social unit, the smallest being the extended family. Each village has a high degree of autonomy and is placed under the authority of the oldest head oflineage. The religion of the Igbo includes on the