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Sande Society Zoba Helmet Mask

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Bookmark: http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/193827



unknown Vai
Vai Primary



Sande Society Zoba Helmet Mask

Mid 20th century
Wood, dyed raffia fibers

13 x 8 in. (33.02 x 20.32 cm)

Bryn Mawr College
Accession Number: 2016.14.4
Other Number(s): 2014.17.4 (Incorrect Accession No.)
Acquisition Date: 04/15/2014
Geography: Africa, Sierra Leone
Classification: Ceremonial and Performance Artifacts; Masks
Culture/Nationality: Vai, Sierra Leonean, West African, African
Collection: Jane Martin Collection

Keywords Click a term to view the records with the same keyword
This object has the following keywords:
  • African - Refers to the cultures of the continent of Africa, which is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
  • carvings - Refers to works executed by cutting a figure or design out of a solid material such as stone or wood. It typically refers to works that are relatively small in size, are part of a larger work, or are not considered art. For large and medium-sized three-dimensional works of art, use the broader term "sculpture" or another appropriate term.
  • ceremonial masks - Refers to masks created for or used in ceremonies or rituals.
  • helmet masks - Masks that enclose the head entirely or in part, especially those worn during African ceremonies and masquerades.
  • horns - The non-deciduous excrescences, often curved and pointed, consisting of an epidermal sheath growing about a bony core on the head of certain mammals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and antelopes, or formed from matted hair on the rhinoceros. Horns serve as displays and as weapons of offence or defense.
  • initiations - Ceremonies formally admitting someone into a community, organization, or other group, or investing them with a particular role or status.
  • masques - Short allegorical dramatic entertainments performed by masked performers, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • metal - Any of a large group of substances that typically show a characteristic luster, are good conductors of electricity and heat, are opaque, can be fused, and are usually malleable or ductile.
  • raffia - Strong fiber from leafstalks of palms of the genus Raphia, native to Africa and other places. Raffia fibers are used in their natural state by splitting apart thick sections and knotting the ends together. The fibers are a pale cream color and are often dyed to bright colors. Raffia is used to make skirts, woven into baskets, hats, bags, and mats. It is also used to make a fine grade of paper similar to Japanese papers.
  • ritual objects - Objects used for a particular ritual activity, often as part of a ceremony.
  • secret societies - Any of various societies, the members of which are sworn to keep the rules, activities, and purposes secret from nonmembers.
  • Vai
  • West African - Styles and cultures from the region comprising the westernmost area of the African continent, defined by the United Nations as including the modern nations of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
  • women - Refers to female human beings from young adulthood through old age.
  • wood - The principal tissue of trees and other plants that provides both strength and a means of conducting nutrients. Wood is one of the most versatile materials known.

Additional Images Click an image to view a larger version
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  • Owner Name: Jane Martin, Class of 1953
    Role: Donor
    Place: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
    Ownership Start Date: June 7, 1986
    Ownership End Date: April 25, 2014


  • Owner Name: Sekou Sillah
    Role: Seller
    Place: Liberia
    Ownership End Date: June 7, 1986
    Remarks: Likely purchased in Monrovia, Liberia


Bibliography List
The following Bibliography exist for this object:
  • "African Heritage Document and Research Center." (Accessed June 11, 2020): AHDRC.eu. Record No.: 0177800.

Related Bibliography List
The following Related Bibliography exist for this object:
  • Lester P. Monts, "Dance in the Vai Sande Society." African Arts 17, no. 4 (August 1984): 53-59, 94-95.
  • Frederick Lamp, "Cosmos, Cosmetics, and the Spirit of Bondo." African Arts 18, no. 3 (May 1985): 28-43, 98-99.

Portfolio List Click a portfolio name to view all the objects in that portfolio
This object is a member of the following portfolios:

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=BMC>cite web |url=http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/193827 |title=Sande Society Zoba Helmet Mask |author=Bryn Mawr College Library Special Collections |accessdate=3/28/2024 |publisher=Bryn Mawr College</ref>

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