Abstract

Songye tribal masks and power figures from Congo, Africa. Seized by United States Fish and Wildlife Service while being smuggled into Hartsfield International Airport. Some pieces incorporated materials harvested from endangered species, which were removed. United States Fish and Wildlife Service donated these materials to Valdosta State University Archives in 2011. Another intake of 6 items being smuggled from Cameroon were donated in 2015.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains images that don't belong to a specific collection. They are mostly items that don't have much background on them, such as pictures of unknown people, or that don't fit into a specific collection. There are three  african prints that were donated Professor EKO, a visiting professor from Nigeria.

Scope and Contents Description: Monkey mask with hair. Media: Polychrome wood and hair. Size: 16" x 9 3/8" x 6 3/4". Surface: Loss of pigment (edges of face, nose area, raised ridges in white areas), scrapes, chips, and dents, especially around front sides; large chip around nose. Stability: Hair falling out, slight losses along edges,...

Scope and Contents Description: Monkey mask. Media: Polychrome wood and fur. Size: 14 1/2" x 8" x 5 3/8" or 14 1/2" x 8 1/2" x 5 3/8". Surface: Surface loss, color good. Stability: Structural crack (five inches, top of head), crack (one and threee quarter inches- left side, rear of head), scrapes along bottom, paint chipping...

Scope and Contents Description: Painted mask with hair. Material: Wood, paint, and hair. Size: 15" x 10" x 7". Surface: Scratching and wear beside holes on bottom; light scratching between nose and eyes; color variations on ribbed white top. Stability: Interior crack on forehead above eyes, profound losses to back. ...

Scope and Contents Description: Mask/sculpture: Janus head figure. Media: Carved wood and cowry shell. Size: 11 3/4" x 10 3/4" x 9 1/2". Surface: Mold-like substance (eye area of unbroken face), significant wear throughout; remnants of pigment around features, pink accretion on most of unbroken face. Stability: Cracking, including many...

Scope and Contents Media: Wood, sand, and cowry shells. Size: 8 1/2" x 4" x 5" or 8 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 4 1/2". Surface: Small area of white mold, upper right side of head, dime-sized abrasion on right side, abrasion on lower left of back. Stability: Cracks on front lower right, right side of mouth, crack extending up right side of head, crack extending from...

Scope and Contents Description: Mask with mane and tassels. Media: Polychrome wood, fiber, cowry shell, nut. Size: 15 1/4" x 10 5/8" x 5 1/4". Surface: Small white spots (reverse and front top), wear (throughout, especially at edges of face, eyes, and protruding areas), finish dull throughout, except right forehead area, scrapes throughout face and ears. ...

Scope and Contents Description: Elephant mask. Media: Polychrome wood and cowry shell/gourd. Size: 25" x 11" x 13 3/4". Surface: Surface soiled, wear to pigment, especially at back edges, scuffing underside back, pigment loss on cowry eyes, pigment rubbed off on reverse where piece rests, slight wear to right tusk bend. Stability:...

Scope and Contents Description: Standing figure with neck rings. Media: Carved wood and cowry shells. Size: 16 1/8" x 4 1/2" x 4". Surface: Significant wear all over, especially in raised areas, white accretion in four spots on right side of face, abrasion on heels of both feet, both ears, left toe, forehead. Stability: Cracks, damage to...

Scope and Contents Description: Double-headed hippopotamus. Media: Carved wood, cowry shells, fiber. Size: 21" x 5" x 5 1/2". Surface: Significant wear throughout, old damage to cowry side of face. Stability: Left leg detached on cowrie side, fiber brittle, shell missing from spiral side, near shoulder, leg, old damage to snout on cowry...

Scope and Contents Description: Double-headed horn figure. Media: Wood, fiber, horn/bone, teeth, and beads. Size: 19" x 3" x 2 1/2". Surface: Loss, right side belt area, surface coloring, tooth on top of head (may be soil), horn scuffed on left and right sides, whitish accretion, both heads. Stability: Crack at elbow on right arm, loss...

Scope and Contents Description: Standing figure on elongated base. Media: Wood, paint, and string. Size: 24" x 4" x 4". Surface: Discolored around feet and inside arms, may have slight water damage on base. Stability: Crack in back of head, splits and erosion on base. Infestation: Lichen growth on uneven...

Scope and Contents Description: Horned figure. Media: Wood, hide, hair, metal studs, beads, claw, shells, fiber, and perhaps bone and leather. Size: 12 3/8" x 3 1/2" x 3 3/4". Surface: Wear to surface at base, soiled but undamaged, chipping around base. Stability: Horn on head very loose, crack on right side of head below spike, three...

Scope and Contents Description: Standing female figure with pot with head. Media: Wood, fiber, beads, metal, bone. Size: 33 1/2" x 11" x 11 1/2". Surface: Wear to left earlobe from metal ring, soil buildup throughout, wood flaking around right armpit, green accretion on right side of bowl lid headdress, small hole under right side of corner, surface wear to edge of lid...

Scope and Contents Description: Standing figure with hat. Media: Carved wood, fiber, beads, metal, shells, and fur. Size: 24 3/8" x 7" x 7" or 24 3/8" x 8" x 7". Surface: Soiled, particularly in crevices, surface abrasions on chest, left hand, left shoulder, right shoulder, forehead, temple, and right of head, metal discolored, heavy wear throughout, hat...

Scope and Contents Description: Male figure with hands across chest. Media: Carved wood. Size: 36 3/8" x 10" x 9 3/4". Surface: Pitting and cracking throughout surface, scrape to left cheek, one and five eighths inch abrasion to top of chest, blue accretion from right forearm to left abdomen, white paintlike accretion behind left ear and left buttocks, abrasion to left...

Scope and Contents Item 16, MS-115-017, Item 1 of 2 Description: Handled horn. Media: Clay, rope, wood (possibly bone), paint. Size: 14 1/2" x 2 1/4" x 2 1/4". Surface: Clay loose, may have lost pieces, paint chipping, particularly along horn. Stability: Seems soft around handle, may be...

Scope and Contents Description: Horned and bearded standing male figure. Media: Carved wood, metal, horn, raffia. Size: 26 5/8" x 7 3/8" x 7 1/8". Surface: Much surface loss due to dryrot or infestation, dull throughout, heavily soiled, heavy scratches and abrasions. Stability: Cracks: four and a half inches by five eighths of an inch at...

Scope and Contents Description: Standing figure holding a mask. Media: Polychromed wood, horn, metal, fur. Size: 24 5/8" x 6 1/4" x 6 3/8". Surface: Top of bone is cracked, heavily worn, surface cracking and loss from insects throughout, fur scraggling and sparse and appears to be missing large sections, possibly a skirt. Stability:...