1914.26.9

Collection type

Object

Description

Skin-covered single-faced cap mask. [ZM 03/05/2013]

Long description

Wooden head (covered in skin) on basketry base with carved black hair depicted as a loop at back and horizontal projection at front. Eyes in metal. [DCF Court Team 13/2/2003]

Geographical reference

Nigeria

Africa > Western Africa > Nigeria

Southern Nigeria Cross River State Oban District

Cultural groups

Ejagham

Person

Field collector Percy Amaury Talbot

PRM source Percy Amaury Talbot

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1912

Date collected

By 1914

Acquisition information

Donated: 1914

Materials and processes

Material Wood Plant, Material Skin, Material Iron Metal, Material Plant Fibre, Material Pigment, Material Tooth, Material Tin Metal, Process Carved, Process Covered, Process Basketry

Dimensions

Depth: max 176 mm, Length: max 277 mm, Width: max 112 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1914.26.9

Research and responses

According to Keith Nicklin's entry in the Grove Dictionary of Art Online: 'The Ejagham are often referred to in the literature as 'Ekoi', a derogatory name used by the Efik, that has now largely been abandoned by scholars. The old designation 'Ekoi' is often extended to those of their neighbours - including the Yako and Mbembe to the west, Bokyi to the north, Widekum to the north-east and Bangwa to the east - who have adopted aspects of Ejagham ritual and material culture. The Ejagham are thus not a single 'tribe' or ethno-linguistic group but, rather, a loose confederation or congeries of peoples sharing major cultural features but with distinct socio-political systems.' [for full article, including how skin-covered masks are made, worn and used, see Nicklin, Keith. "Ejagham." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 2 May. 2013. http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T025751. [ZM 02/05/2013]

Jill Salmons examined this mask during a consultation visit to look at the skin-covered masks on 15 August 2013 and noted the following: This is a cap mask in the style of those worn on the top of the head as part of a masquerade costume by Ejagham men. This was almost certainly collected by Percy Amaury Talbot as he had a good relationship with the local people and usually collected objects himself. [ZM 16/08/2013]

Associated publications

This is almost certainly the mask on the left in the black and white photograph at the bottom of the page in the illustration facing page 58, in Percy Amuary Talbot's publication In the Shadow of the Bush (London: William Heinemann, 1912). Caption (printed underneath the photograph) reads: 'Juju Heads - worn at Dances - and Fetish.' [ZM 18/07/2013]

Search terms: Figure, Ritual and Ceremonial, Dance, Religion, Mask, Ceremonial Object, Dance Accessory