Wooden mask
From: Nigeria (Yoruba)
Date: early 20th century AD
This is a huge wooden mask, worn by the Yoruba people during a
festival called the Epa masquerade. Performers leap and dance
around wearing these heavy masks to show the strength of their
bodies and minds. At one point they jump to the top of a mound and
if they stumble and fall it means bad luck for the community.
The two faces on the bottom of the mask suggest looking at two
worlds - the world around them and the world of spirits. The main
figure on the mask is riding a horse, and is probably a hunter or
warrior.