Mask for Sande Society

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Culture Mende

Title Mask for Sande Society (Sowei)

Date Unknown

Medium Wood and pigment

Dimensions Object: 15 7/8 × 8 1/4 × 10 5/16 in. (40.3 × 21 × 26.2 cm)
Overall: 15 7/8 × 8 1/4 × 10 5/16 in. (40.3 × 21 × 26.2 cm)

Credit Line Gift of Toby and Barry Hecht, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 88.24.8

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About this Work

This helmet mask is used by Sande, a women’s organization, during the preparation of young women for adulthood. Specifically the mask is worn during a celebration of the completion of the initiation period. The mask is a representation of ideal Mende female beauty. As such, the mask includes specific features that are greatly admired by the Mende people. These features include elements such as the neck rings, an exaggeration of the crease that can develop in one’s neck. Neck rings are seen as a sign of prosperity, high status, and are considered very beautiful.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Mask for Sande Society | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2024. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=88.24.8