Item Information Sheet
Title / Mask Name: Ngil Mask
Ethnic Group: Fang
Country of Origin: Gabon
About This Piece:
A Fang Ngil mask of the Ngil society — a judicial and anti-sorcery association historically active among the Fang people of Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and southern Cameroon. The mask is carved in the canonical Ngil form: a highly elongated convex oval face with a domed forehead, narrow slit eyes, and a boldly projecting triangular nose. The surface carries a mottled kaolin white wash, with a blue arched line tracing the brow and orange scarification striations on the cheeks. Perforations along the perimeter secured a raffia fiber costume during ritual performance. Ngil masks embodied the presence of a forest spirit invoked to identify sorcerers and enforce community law.
Dimensions & Weight:
Height: [37 cm] (14.5in)
Provenance:
Notes:
Offered in as-found condition. Surface wear, patination, and aging are inherent to authentic artifacts and reflect the object's history, not defects.