Danced exclusively by women, this helmet mask from the West African Mende or Gola peoples is exceptional for that reason. Worn over the head by an official of the all-female Sande association, this type of mask appeared at coming-of-age ceremonies of girls who had completed their initiation and had successfully entered womanhood.

While the elaborate hairdo and downcast eyes are characteristic of such masks, embodying cultural ideals of female beauty, the two legs sticking out of the head are highly unusual. Only one other Sande mask, out of thousands, is known to have such a motif. This begs the question: Was the carver an original creator or was this mask made for the export market?