This imposing helmet-mask depicts a stylized human face beneath a tall, central crest. The face features carved scarification marks around the eyes, iron‑inlaid pupils, and an open mouth with visible teeth. The crest is often tiered or cylindrical, sometimes adorned with serpents, crocodiles, or geometric motifs. A beaded-looking headband wraps around the forehead, reinforcing royal symbolism.
This mask was worn in the Odudua masquerade, part of the Ague Osa (New Yam) festival. Seven masked figures would dance before the Oba, carrying swords and enacting ancestral narratives—particularly honoring Oduduwa, the mythical founder deity of the Benin royal lineage.
Source: Oweh Art Gallery. Odudua Helmet mask, Bronze-cast (lost-wax), Private collection, Benin City.