Masks are based on human and animal form or often a mixture of both. Sometimes they are completely naturalistic, and often idealized; sometimes formalized and abstract. It is generally possible to judge fairly accurately the area from which a mask has come, for each tribe or subtribe has developed its own conventions according to its own predilections and traditions. Masks are worn not only in the front of the face; they may be worn horizontally on the top of the head or tipped diagonally on the forehead. Some masks fit over the head like a helmet, and tall headdresses are worn attached to a tight-fitting cap of basketwork.

Some masks are deliberately terrifying and are used to scare away strangers, especially women, from initiation rites and other ceremonies of the various "secret" societies. Animal masks may be worn during agrarian ceremonies accompanied by dance.

BALUBA

Mask. 115 Ashanti, Ghana. West Africa. Beads, metal, wood. BAL MSK     Mask. 118 Ashanti, Ghana. West Africa. Metal, wood. BAL MSK

BAULE

Mask, Face. 133 Baule, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. BAU MSK

Mask, Face. 135 Baule, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. BAU MSK

Mask. 182 Baule, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. BAU MSK Plaque.

Mask, Ancestral. 278 Baule, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. BAU MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 313 Baule, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. BAU MSK

CAMEROON

Mask, Face. 91 Cameroon. Central Africa. Wood. CAM MSK Mask, Face. 92 Cameroon. Central Africa. Wood. CAM MSK Mask, Face. 93 Cameroon. Central Africa. CAM MSK Mask, Face. 94 Cameroon. Central Africa. CAM MSK

117 Cameroon. Central Africa. CAM MSK

Mask, Face. 172 Cameroon. Central Africa. Silver. CAM MSK

Mask, Face. 180 Fang, Gabon. Central Africa Wood. CAM MSK

Mask, Dance. 192 Cameroon. Central Africa. Cowrie, horns, hair. CAM MSK Rasta Dance Mask.

Mask, Dance. 220 Cameroon. Central Wood. CAM MSK

Mask. Elephant 264 Cameroon. Central Wood. CAM MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 276 Cameroon. Central Wood. CAM MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 280 Cameroon. Central Wood. CAM MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 307 Cameroon. Central Wood. CAM MSK

DAN

Mask, Ceremional. 77 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, raffia, wood. DAN MSK Headress.

Mask, Ceremional. 78 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, metal, raffia. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 79 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Bells, cloth, feathers, wood. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 80 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, raffia, wood. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 81 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, raffia, wood. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 82 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, metal, raffia. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 83 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, metal, raffia. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 84 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, metal, raffia. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 134 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, metal, raffia. DAN MSK

Mask, Dance. 193 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, metal, wood. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 311 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cowrie, raffia, bells, feathers. DAN MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 312 Dan, Liberia. West Africa. Cloth, cowrie, raffia, wood. DAN MSK

GREBO

Mask, Ceremional. 314 Grebo, Liberia. West Africa. Hair, cloth, corie, raffia. GRE MSK

GURO

Mask, Ancestral. 13 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 14 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 15 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 16 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 17 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 18 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 19 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 20 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 21 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 22 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 23 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 24 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 25 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 26 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 27 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 28 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 29 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 30 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Mask, Ancestral. 31 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Face. 32 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask. 33 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask. 34 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask. 35 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 87 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 88 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 128 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK Crest.

Mask. 177 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 283 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 284 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 285 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 286 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 287 Guro, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. GUR MSK

IBO

Mask, Face. 113 Ibo, Nigeria. West Africa. Wood. IBO MSK

Mask, Ancestral. 299 Ibo, Nigeria. West Africa. Wood. IBO MSK

KUBA

116 Kuba, Zaire. Central Africa. Wood, cloth, cowrie, beads. KUB MSK

Mask, Ceremional. 277 Kuba, Zaire. Central Africa. Leather, beads, cowrie. KUB MSK

Helmet. 282 Kuba, Zaire. Central Africa. Beads, cowrie, leather, metal. KUB MSK

SENUFO

Mask, Ceremional. 112 Senufo, Ivory Coast. West Africa. SEN MSK

Helmet. 163 Senufo, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. SEN HEL

Mask, Ceremional. 195 Senufo, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. SEN MSK

Mask. 196 Senufo, Ivory Coast. West Africa. Wood. SEN MSK

SONGYE

Mask, Ceremional. 279 Songye, Zaire. Central Africa. Wood. SON MSK

YORUBA

Helmet. 173 Yoruba, Nigeria. West Africa. Bells, cloth, wood. YOR HEL

Helmet. 174 Yoruba, Nigeria. West Africa. Bells, cloth, wood. YOR HEL

Mask. 298 Yoruba, Nigeria. West Africa. Wood. YOR MSK Helmet.

Helmet. 315 Yoruba, Nigeria. West Africa. Wood. YOR HEL

Helmet. 316 Yoruba, Nigeria. West Africa. Wood. YOR HEL

Helmet. 317 Yoruba, Nigeria. West Africa. Wood. YOR HEL

OTHER

Mask. 181 Unknown Straw, wood. AFR MSK Crest.