Abelam Ceremonial Yam Mask Baba lobi deep dark brown glaze adorns

deep dark brown glaze adorns the upper portion of the vessel

whose ill-fated collecting expedition in the region remains one of the most debated episodes in modern ethnographic history

possibly bitumen

The triangular handle adds a functional and balanced design element

From the late 1880s onward

Abelam Ceremonial Yam Mask Baba lobi deep dark brown glaze adornsAbelam people, early to mid. 20th century, Maprik district, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Exceptional, tightly woven older yam mask (baba, also known as bapamini) from the Abelam people of the Prince Alexander Mountains, Sepik region, northeast New Guinea. This striking mask is crafted from wild vine (Lygodium) fiber, shaped in a bulging helmet style with a prominent ridge for the nose and concentric rings for the eyes. The mask features a