African Ceremonial Beaded Yoruba Headdress from Nigeria

A scarce large vintage African tribal beaded ceremonial crown altar headdress, the Yoruba peoples, Nigeria, West Africa, Mid-20th Century, featuring intricate sculptural form decorated in polychrome beads and nassa sea shells, depicting central warrior figure mounted on figural horse or donkey animal, flanked by four standing figures, atop cylindrical crown, adorned with lizards and mask. Many people refer to this type of altar item...

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in turquoise, orange, green, yellow red, blue ...

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in ivory, red and black colors with faces bird...

Blacked wood helmet mask (Gelede), large human head surmounted by a dog eating a snake which curves around the head. No perforation for attachment to costume from Yoruba, Nigeria. Pu...

This painted mask was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a tradition known as Gelede. A blend of ritual and artistic spectacle, Gelede pays homage to the women of their Community, understood to possess spiritual powers capable of the benefit or the destruction of society. The Gelede masquerade is an opportunity to honor or condemn behaviors within the Community, through dance, art, satire, and poetry. Worn by veiled dancers, Gelede masks...

Gelede festivals honor the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lo...