Royal Kuba Helmet Mask

An important Helmet Mask known as Bwoon from the Kuba Tribe in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa circa mid 20th century. The carved wood mask is decorated with copper plates on the face with additional gold colour plates (from a conserve can) added at later date and lavished embellished with trade beads, cloth with cowrie shells and feathers. The surface and the interior both display good patina.

Bwoom is one of three types of royal Kuba masks and it is used in dancing ceremony that reenacts episodes of the history of the kingdom.