{"product_id":"authentiek-antiek-igbo-agbogho-mmuo-masker-geverifieerd-ritueel","title":"Authentic Antique Igbo Agbogho Mmuo Mask Wall Decoration – Verified Ritual","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; color: #333; max-width: 800px; margin: auto; padding: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"color: #8c7643; border-bottom: 2px solid #8c7643; padding-bottom: 5px; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: 1px;\"\u003eAuthentic Antique Igbo Agbogho Mmuo Mask (Maiden Spirit) – Nigeria – ca. 1950\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hand-carved Softwood | Original Kaolin (Limestone) Painting | Original Textile Border \u0026amp; Heavy Wear Patina\n\nWe proudly present an exceptionally rare and forensically verified masterpiece within the African art trade: a legitimate antique hand-carved wooden \u003cstrong\u003eAgbogho Mmuo (Maiden Spirit) mask\u003c\/strong\u003e from the \u003cstrong\u003eIgbo culture of Nigeria (West Africa)\u003c\/strong\u003e. This ritual mask dates from the \u003cstrong\u003emid-20th century (ca. 1850-1960)\u003c\/strong\u003e and is in fabulous, unrestored, and fully authentic condition. A genuine collector's item with a proven ceremonial history.\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #8c7643; margin-top: 25px; font-size: 1.2em; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eTraditional Igbo Iconography \u0026 Symbolism\n\nWithin Igbo society, this mask represents ideal, pure feminine beauty and honors the spirits of deceased young women during agricultural festivals. This object makes a powerful, historical, and texture-rich statement in any modern or high-end interior:\n\n\u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; list-style-type: square;\"\u003e\n\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Sacred Kaolin Face:\u003c\/strong\u003e The front of the face is traditionally covered with a thick layer of white lime (\u003cem\u003ekaolin\u003c\/em\u003e), the symbol of the spiritual world and the dead. The chalk skin displays beautiful, legitimate traces of craquelé and has been naturally worn away around the nose and mouth by decades of devotion.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMonumental Comb-Headdress:\u003c\/strong\u003e The extremely complex, stepped, and openwork headdress with round discs imitates the ceremonial hairstyles of Igbo maidens. The sides of the head are deeply incised with spiral curls of hair, in which ancient temple dust and soot have been deeply petrified.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRitual Scar Tattoos:\u003c\/strong\u003e On the cheeks and forehead, the characteristic dark, geometric circles and planes have been applied that symbolize the traditional Igbo beauty scars.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #8c7643; margin-top: 25px; font-size: 1.2em; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eForensic Evidence of Legitimate Use (Backside)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe inside of this bowl provides irrefutable, laboratory-worthy evidence of actual ceremonial use by an Igbo dancer, completely free of modern airport tourist clutter:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; list-style-type: disc;\"\u003e\n\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Braided Textile Trim:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very exceptional and unfalsifiable is the deeply weathered, green-blue woven fabric trim with a checkered pattern that is sewn around the entire outer edge to protect the dancer's face. The textile fibers are bone-dry through and through and authentically worn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntense Biological Wear Patina:\u003c\/strong\u003e The deeper parts of the hand-carved bowl (crafted with a primitive African adze) display a dark, greasy, and mirror-smooth polished sheen. This has built up very naturally over decades through the friction of skin lipids, oils, and the wearer's sweat during hours of ecstatic dancing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #8c7643; margin-top: 25px; font-size: 1.2em; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eProduct details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0; font-weight: bold; width: 30%;\"\u003eRepresentation:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0;\"\u003eAgbogho Mmuo \/ African Maiden Spirit Mask H 38 x W 48\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0;\"\u003eHand-carved soft wood with kaolin (lime), natural pigments and original textile border\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eOrigin \/ Culture:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0;\"\u003eNigeria (West Africa) \/ Igbo tribe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eDating:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0;\"\u003eMid 20th Century (ca. 1950) – Guaranteed original ethnographic masterpiece\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px 0;\"\u003eMagnificent, unrestored tribal condition. Authentic craquelé in the chalk layer, legitimate sheen on the inside, and a completely intact historical fabric rim. 100% nonsense-free.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"1stbuddha","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57377062814027,"sku":"432","price":265.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1012\/6170\/5547\/files\/afrikaans-houten-ritueel-masker.jpg?v=1779194672","url":"https:\/\/1stbuddha.com\/products\/authentic-antique-igbo-agbogho-mmuo-mask-verified-ritual","provider":"1stbuddha","version":"1.0","type":"link"}