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_0013_01
- Old Catalog Number:
- 966.4.13
- File Name:
- Anthr1966_004_0013_01.jpg
- Culture:
- Ndembu
- Style/Period:
- Ndembu
- Work Type:
- masks (costume)
- Materials/Techniques:
- bark cloth
string
basketry (object genre)
pigments (probably clay) - Subject:
- ndembu (african people)
rites and ceremonies
masks
African
Turner, Victor W., 1920-1983
ritual objects - Measurement:
- 546 (length down center) (millimeters)
460 (on either side) (millimeters)
50.8 (eye width) (millimeters)
76 (nose length) (millimeters)
89 (mouth width) (millimeters)
140 (chin length) (millimeters)
50.8 (chin width) (millimeters)
50-76.2 (carved out depth) (millimeters) - Description:
- The mask is made of wood and the entire piece was carved from one block. All designs were made by incising lines into the wood and then either rubbing charcoal into the incision or burning the incision. Aside from the incised and carved nose, mouth (with twelve teeth), and eyes, there are wavy lines on the forehead and three vertical lines on either side of the nose. Next to these vertical lines are a set of spots arranged in the shape of a triangle. There are zig-zag and cross designs above the forehead and on the sides of the face. There are slanted vertical lines at the chin probably representing a beard. This mask is called "chiponda" does not seem to be worn in the Mukanda ceremonies (circumcision rites), it was probably used in them, perhaps as a sacra object of another sort.
- 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.