13/10/2026
This ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ fine early 20th century Gelede wooden headdress, carved from a single piece of wood, has a male human face, and most unusually, a hairstyle which seems based on the scales of a pangolin, a mammal covered with scales that is native to Nigeria. The mask is similar in this regard to one other example we have โ both almost certainly are from the same workshop. (height: approximately 23cm, length: approximately 31cm, width: 22.7cm, weight: 1,050g))
The mask is carved with classical Yoruba facial features: heavy eyelids, bulgy almond-shaped eyes, a flared nose and compressed, full lips. The pupils and nostrils are roughly pierced with circular holes. Scarification lines (pele) are incised on both cheeks. Many communities in south-western Yorubaland regard scarification lines as โgemsโ on the human face. The overall facial features exemplify authority, supremacy, rigour and calm โ all necessary characteristics for a wise Yoruba elder.
The mask has been coloured with natural ochres.
The western Yoruba people practise the Efe/Gelede cult to celebrate the mystical power (ashe) of elderly women. Traditionally, they believe that older women possess power that can be used for creative or destructive purposes. The Gelede masked performance is a way of sustaining life through creating a social bond with the elderly women, who are generally referred to as โour mothersโ (awon iya wa). By having pleased โour mothersโ, there will be peace in the community and the land will be blessed by rain and fertile soil.
๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐
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๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐น๐: ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐บ๐ถ๐ป@๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ๐น๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐น๐๐ฑ.๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ
๐ฉ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ. ๐ช๐ฒ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ผ.
๐๐๐.๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ๐น๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐น๐๐ฑ.๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ
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