Yams cult mask "mma ji"
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Lot: 178
95th Tribal Art AuctionYams cult mask "mma ji"
Nigeria, Igbo-Afikpo
| Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
|---|---|---|
| Heinrich Siemers, Bayreuth, Germany (coll.1969/70 in Cameroon) | H: 14.4 inch | This object is not available anymore. |
wood, pigments, plant fibre, cord, base
The upright projection on this mask represents a yam-cutting knife "mma ji", which gave the mask its name.
Accordingly, the masks appear, among others, at dances of the "ikwum" society, performed to thank ancestors for the strength given to men to cultivate fields.
