Yoruba Cap Crest Mask (Gelede)

3D ModelNoAI

Nigeria

ca. 1960

Wood and paint

12 3/8 x 8 1/8 x 7 5/8 in. (31.4 x 20.6 x 19.4 cm)

Gift of Professor and Mrs. Robert R. Ferens, 91.0049

This brightly colored cap crest mask is used in the masquerades of the Gelede society in the southwest region of Yorubaland (Nigeria). This society is led by an elderly woman and the Yoruba associate women with awesome powers. This mask was carved to represent a specific ancestor. The red of this mask indicates the woman is a devotee of the deity Shango, and the black lines reference the city Ogbomosho. A snake is curled on top of the mask, as they were often associated with the powers of women in Yoruba society.