African Mask from Gabon

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)

Width: [21cm] (8.26in)

Depth: [16 cm] (6.2 in)

**Weight: [**0.80kg] ( 1.76 lbs)

(Tip: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 lb = 0.453592 kg)

Provenance:

Collected from: Artifact dealer in Accra, Ghana

Notes:

Offered in as-found condition. Surface wear, patination, and aging are inherent to authentic artifacts and reflect the object's history, not defects.