African Maiden Spirit Helmet Mask Agbogho Mmwo Igbo Nigeria

A stunning and authentic African maiden spirit helmet mask, known as "agbogho mmwo," from the Igbo people of Nigeria, traditionally used by the male Mmwo secret society, dating back to the early to mid-20th century or earlier.
The Agbogho Mmwo helmet mask, also known as Agbogho Monnwu or Ikorodo (meaning 'maiden spirit mask'), is exceptionally well carved from a single piece of wood. It features crisp facial characteristics, including a long, narrow face, slit eyes with arched eyebrows, a narrow protruding nose, a thin-lipped closed mouth, and small ears. The mask also displays scarification on the cheeks and forehead.
The top features an elaborate openwork coiffure construction, highlighted by a tall central ridge. It is painted with a polychrome palette of ocher brown, black, beige, and white kaolin pigments. The coiffures are accented with red and blue paint, most likely added later.
The bottom edge has several small pierced holes for attaching strings or cloth. The hollow interior shows signs of wear in areas that made contact with the wearer's head.
Agbogho mmwo, or "maiden spirit," masks are worn by men during festivals that celebrate important deities. These masks symbolize the Igbo ideal of female beauty, featuring small, balanced features, elaborate hairstyles, and delicate tattoos. Men who dance in agbogho mmwo masks don colorful, tight-fitting fiber costumes and entertain the audience with exaggerated versions of women's dances.
The quality of this mask is on par with those in the collections of The Brooklyn Museum and The Michael C. Carlos Museum.
 
DIMENSIONS:
Overall length: 40 cm (15.75 inches).
Height: 38 cm (14.96 inches).
Width: 23 cm (9.06 inches).
 
CONDITION: Displays signs of age and use with wear, scratches, and an old patina, along with some cracks.
Please note that colors may vary slightly in the pictures due to lighting conditions and the color settings of different devices.