Small West or Central African wooden face mask, probably Dan/Kran-influenced. For Sale

Dan-related masks are particularly associated with communities spanning Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, where masks traditionally embodied forest spirits and served social, political, protective, and ceremonial roles.

• Eyes:Narrow horizontal openings beneath gently raised brows.
• Nose:Long, straight, and strongly projecting.
• Mouth:An oval, projecting mouth with several rectangular openings or teeth.
• Hair or headdress:A dense fringe of twisted plant fiber, probably raffia or a similar material, remains attached along the upper edge.
• Attachment holes:The reverse shows numerous regularly spaced holes around the perimeter. These were probably used to fasten fiber, cloth, or another backing to the carving.

The shallow back suggests several possibilities:

1. It may have been attached to a larger fiber costume or headdress.
2. It may be a reduced-scale representation of a ceremonial mask.
3. It may have been produced specifically for the African art market.

The perimeter holes and old fiber make the first possibility plausible.