TOMA, GUINEA/LIBERIA
WOOD, HEIGHT 70CM

Toma masks usually have the crocodile jaw shape with very basic stylisised human face features. The masks were mainly used at initiation functions and were kept in individual households, and they were also used for the initiation of members to the secretive Poro society. This is a very stylised mask, it has the two horns on top with the very sharp ears, the square protruding forehead, while the facial features of mouth and nose are extremely abstract.