Helmet Mask of Odudua
Edo people, Benin City, Nigeria 18th century
Brass, lost-wax casting
This brass helmet mask, created by Edo artists using the lost-wax technique, represents a stylized human head with bold features and ritual scarification marks. A tall, tapering projection rises from the head, decorated with serpents and long-nosed crocodiles—symbols of spiritual power and protection. Similar motifs appear on the chin, while incised crosses on the neck may hold cosmological significance. Pierced holes along the base suggest the mask was worn or mounted during ceremonies associated with Oduduwa, a revered ancestral figure linked to divine kingship.
Source: Omorogbe, Aigbe. ,Helmet Mask, Bronze-cast(lost-wax), Private collection, Benin city
HIGHPOLY MODEL INCLUDED