Description (Physical description)
Wooden mask, a heart shaped face, with round eyeholes, a small mouth and nose and two long horns or ears. Painted white, with traces of red. May represent hyena.

Event Date
Author: maa

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Context (Related Documents)
Drawing of Z 11918 on the rear of catalogue card labelled Z 11918/Record 2.
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Auction / Sale)
Purchased using money from Prof. A.A. Bevan’s subscription to the Museum’s Accessions Fund.
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Labels & Markings)
MAA tag reads: 'Z 11918 / Record 2 / It is possible that the mask numbered as Rec 1 [sic] on the database has been re-numbered as Z 11917, (which includes 2 combs, mask and a bird) / R.Hand 12/6/2001'
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Labels & Markings)
Written on rear in pencil: '2730'
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Field collection)
Collected by Northcote W. Thomas in Edo State, Agenibode (now Agene(g)bode) town. The inhabitants belong to the Edo ethnic group, and also identify themselves further as Yekhee people. The language they speak is also referred to as Etsako. See Blench, R. M., 1995. The Work of N.W. Thomas as Government Anthropologist in Nigeria. The Nigerian Field, 60, pp.29.

Event Date
Author: Remke van der Velden

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Context (CMS Context)
Catalogue card for Z 11917 notes: "Another object, which has the number 2729 marked clearly on it, which should therefore be Z 11917 also is the wooden mask described on next card. It had been given the number Z 11918, but this would seem to belong to another mask, numbered 2730 and also Z 11918. I have therefore changed the numbering and made a new card. (K.H.)"

Event Date 1/6/2000
Author: maa

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Context (Related Documents)
See E 1910.118 and E 1913.3 records for further details about the Thomas Collection from Nigeria. [T.Cotterill]
Event Date 7/5/2001
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Physical description)
Insect damage. Mask attached to wooden display mount. Both the tips are broken and missing from the horns. [K. Sutton]
Event Date 12/6/2001
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Amendments / updates)
Some stylistic similarities to Z 11911, Z 11913, Z 11909, Z 11914, Z 11916 and Z 11921.
[Information provided by Dr Ohioma Pogoson, Honorary Curator of the Museum of the Institute for African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. January 2013.]

Event Date 30/01/2013
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Physical description)
Wooden face mask mounted on a stand for display. The label reads ‘it is possible that the mask numbered as Rec 1 on the database has been renumbered as Z 11917 (which includes two combs and a bird) R Hand 12/6/2001’. Cut from a large wood block. A broader face than the ones mentioned above, but the triangular tapering shape of the face is common to the other Agenibode masks. It has two prominent horn-like protrusions extending from the sides of the top of the head. Eyes are pierced, possibly for the wearer to be able to see. The forehead is similar to Z 11913 and Z 11911. Short nose. The mouth is gradually raised from the flat plane of the face. A feeble attempt has been made to indicate teeth. It has been painted in whites and browns which have now faded. Holes around the base were used to attach fibres to. Around the eyes brown paint is visible, which makes them stand out more.
[Information provided by Dr Ohioma Pogoson, Honorary Curator of the Museum of the Institute for African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. January 2013.]
Event Date 30/1/2013
Author: maa

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Context (Amendments / updates)
There has been extensive historical confusion between two masks: Z 11917.1 and Z 11918. It appears that Z 11917 was incorrectly permanently labelled with Z 11918, and since this number already belonged to another Thomas Collection mask, the suffixes /Record 1 and /Record 2 were used to distinguish between the two. Subsequently the permanent number was changed to Z 11917 without due alteration of records. This matter was further confused by the additional components belonging to Z 11917.1 (Z 11917.2-4) which were previously all labelled Z 11917 without any suffixes.
The original catalogue cards have been extensively modified. The catalogue card for Z 11917 originally only described a single wooden comb with the Thomas number 2729. The second comb, bird component and lastly the mask itself were added in notes on separate occasions. Each of these objects is clearly marked with the Thomas number 2729, and Thomas' first catalogue describes number 2729 as a mask, with the comb individually mentioned on the left hand page.
The catalogue card for Z 11918, Thomas number 2730 (now labelled as Z 11918/Record 2), originally read: 'Mask (ogbalo)', however, this was altered several times and now describes Z 11917.1 in detail, with a front and side-view drawing of Z 11917.1 on the rear of the card. It also gives a negative number which is a photograph of Z 11917.1. The Thomas number 2730 is written on the rear of the mask marked Z 11918 and the Thomas' 1st catalogue entry for 2730 includes the local term 'ogbalo'. This catalogue card therefore has information belonging to both Z 11917.1 and Z 11918.
A new catalogue card was created for Z 11918/Record 2, Thomas number 2730, and this refers solely to the mask permanently marked Z 11918. There is a drawing of Z 11918 on the rear. A note on the card reads: 'two masks have this number [Z 11918]' but, as outlined above, this is incorrect and the two masks concerned are Z 11917.1 and Z 11918.
The database records have been altered to reflect this understanding, with Z 11917 being split into its four components, Z 11918/Record 1 being deleted, and Z 11918/Record 2 being reverted to Z 11918.


Event Date 7/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Amendments / updates)
The mount has been removed and is now stored separately.
Event Date 8/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Amendments / updates)
Record updated as part of the Museum Affordances project 2018-2020

Event Date 8/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Physical description)
Carved wooden mask, painted white and red, with two long ears or horns and eye holes. The face has both animal and human features, with a small mouth with bared teeth, a straight nose, and two circular eye holes either side. Two ears with a slight backwards bend rise from the top of the mask. The whole is painted with white pigment, with red spots and circles around the eyes. Holes have been drilled around the edges of the mask and there is also a single hole in the top of the mask. There is a grainy appearance to the surface in some areas, possibly the pigment itself or a further application of clay. There are holes from insect damage all over the mask, and some portions are missing at the rear. One of the ear has the tip broken off, but with further wear after the break and there are some cracks in the top of the mask. There is a small piece of string through one of the holes, probably from a Thomas/Bevan label which is no longer attached. The mask is screwed to a wooden mount which has a square base and a single, straight upright.
Event Date 8/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring