MALI WOODEN HORNED MASK, WEST COAST AFRICA, XIX C.

MALI WOODEN HORNED MASK, WEST COAST AFRICA, XIX C.

A wooden Bamana mask made in Mali. Bamana traditions include six male societies, each with its own type of mask. Initiation for men lasts for seven years and ends with their symbolic death and their rebirth. Nearly every Bambara man had to pass through these societies in succession, until, upon reaching the highest rank, he had acquired a comprehensive knowledge of ancestral traditions. Provenance: Collection of Edward Frey, the author of The Kris: Mystic Weapon of the Malay World (Images of Asia).

Dimensions : Height: 12 in. (30.5 cm.)
Condition : Very good with a small chip on the back.