Mask
- Title:
- Mask
- Collection:
- Selections from the Cornell Anthropology Collections
- Donor:
- Victor Turner
- Date:
- 1950s
- Site:
- Mwinilunga, North-Western, Zambia (inhabited place)
- Location:
- Mwinilunga, North-Western, Zambia (inhabited place)
- Country:
- Zambia
- ID Number:
- Anthr1966_004_0011_01
- Old Catalog Number:
- 966.4.11
- File Name:
- Anthr1966_004_0011_01.jpg
- Culture:
- Ndembu
- Style/Period:
- Ndembu
- Work Type:
- masks (costume)
- Materials/Techniques:
- wood
- Subject:
- ndembu (african people)
rites and ceremonies
masks
African
Turner, Victor W., 1920-1983
ritual objects - Measurement:
- 430 (from forehead to chin) (millimeters)
430 (ear to ear) (millimeters)
ears: 190 x 38 (millimeters)
51 (raise of ears from eye level) (millimeters)
152.4 (across incised lines on forehead) (millimeters)
76 (nose length) (millimeters)
76 (nose from surface) (millimeters)
76.7 (eyes width) (millimeters)
12.7 (raise of eyes from surface) (millimeters)
139 (across bottom of mouth) (millimeters)
25.4 (raise of mouth from surface) (millimeters)
203 (top surface width) (millimeters)
279 (top surface length) (millimeters)
190.4 (mask depth) (millimeters)
25 (wood thickness) (millimeters) - Description:
- Mask, carved wood, charcoal black in color. All of the features are very exaggerated and swollen looking. All of the features are very exaggerated and swollen looking. It does not appear to have been worn, but was used in the Mukanda ceremonies (circumcision rites) of the Ndembu tribe. It does not have a specific name that is known. Judging from its color, the mask was probably symbolic of darkness and ritual death.
- Bibliography:
- Vistor Turner, The Forest of Symbols: Aspects of Ndembu Ritual (Cornell University Press, 1967)
- Archival Collection:
- Ndembu masks and costumes
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- The images in the Collection 'Selections from the Cornell Anthropology Collections' are protected by copyright, and the copyright holders are Cornell University Library and the Department of Anthropology. Physical artifacts from the Cornell Anthropology Collections were photographed by Cornell University Library in 2012-13 for inclusion in this image collection. Cornell is providing access to the materials for research and personal use. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.
Cornell would like to learn more about items in this collection and to hear from individuals or institutions that have any additional information. This collection is funded by an Arts and Sciences Grant to Frederic W. Gleach, Curator of the Anthropology Collections. Please contact him for more information about this collection, or to request permission to use these images.