Carved wooden mask with an elongated, cone-shaped forehead; the face is painted black, and the forehead is light brown on the right side and red on the left. There are three splotches of black on the forehead. In ancient Ghana, masks were made to represent spirits of animals, ancestors, mythological heroes, or a way to honor someone in a symbolic way. The maker of the mask was usually of higher rank since they were believed to have a closer connections to the spirits and the spirit world. Masks were used during spiritual ceremonies, but were also used as decoration and were seen as a 'protector' of the home. 23.5cmX6cm.