This mask was carved in the style of the Gurunsi people of Burkina Faso. It features a crocodile with geometric patterns covering the top. The mask is meant to sit on top of the head with the snout facing outward. The mask measures 54 inches tall and weighs 15 pounds. There is some damage and previous repairs to the tail and some cracking and general wear and tear throughout the piece – please inspect photos carefully. Stand not included but one can be added for an additional charge.
Sale!
Gurunsi Crocodile Headcrest Mask 54″ – Burkina Faso – African Art
Original price was: $425.00.$297.50Current price is: $297.50.
Sold
| Type of Object | Headcrest Mask |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Burkina Faso |
| Ethnicity | Gurunsi |
| Animal | |
| Material | Wood, Pigment |
| Approximate Age | Unknown |
| Height (Inches) | 54" |
| Width (Inches) | 10.5" |
| Depth (Inches) | 10.5" |
| Weight (Pounds) | 15 lbs |
| Overall Condition | Damage and repair to tail. Cracking and wear and tear. |
Tribe Information
About the Gurunsi People
“A number of tribes who speak dialects of the Gur language have been grouped together under the name Gurunsi. They number 200,000 and spend the dry season hunting and fishing. Gurunsi masks represent bush spirits and are characterized by eyes set within concentric circles. They are worn by dancers during funerals, initiation ceremonies, fertility rites and market-day festivities.
Gurunsi figures are less well known in the West, but have a role in divination rituals.
Gurunsi people wear ivory and bronze bracelets and like other tribes in the region, carve wooden flutes.”
Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.