Yaoure Passport Mask with Hornbill | Côte d'Ivoire | 52cm | Carved Wood indonesia_insects mount it on a wall

mount it on a wall as traditional art

This pack includes real dried lantern bugs

Provenance: Old private collection

chelicerae (fangs)

Yaoure Passport Mask with Hornbill | Côte d'Ivoire | 52cm | Carved Wood indonesia_insects mount it on a wallA compelling example of Yaoure miniature mask carving, surmounted by a hornbill in full relief. Among the Yaoure people of central Cte d'Ivoire, miniature masks known as passport masks carry the same ritual significance as their full sized counterparts. Carved to welcome ancestral spirits, they serve primarily as protective objects for the bearer, guarding against witchcraft and malevolent forces. They may also be used in divination, placed as altar