ANTROPO-ZOOMORPHIC MASK - Djimini/Ligbi culture, Ivory Coast - First half of the 20th century

ANTROPO-ZOOMORPHIC MASK
Culture Djimini/Ligbi, Ivory Coast
First half of the 20th century
Wood and pigments
Height: 30 cm; Width: 15 cm

The particular characteristic of this mask lies in its face which is both anthropomorphic: tapered chin marked by a goatee, half-moon eyes with cutouts, surrounded by white pigments, and a pair of incised and pigmented ears; this is associated with a zoomorphic figure: the said ears refer to a pair of wings and the nasal ridge is revealed to be the representation of the fertilizing hornbill called Yangaleya.

The hornbill is a particularly important bird in Djimini-Ligbi mythology.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON

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