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Ancestor spirit mask, Iso ekpo

wooden mark with lots of reddish 'hair' Annang, S E Nigeria, about 1905
Accession Number 16.2.06.16

This mask depicts an ancestor spirit, ekpo, in the form of a ram. The circlet worn beneath the horns shows that the ancestor represented was a member of the diviners’ society, idiong. Members of the men’s ekpo society perform masquerades at funerals and at an annual festival.