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Memorial Head (Mma)

19th–20th century
Not on view
In present-day Ghana, terracotta sculptures produced by women have played a central role in Akan funerary rites. Made from humble clay, this head is a commemorative portrait created to honor a departed individual. Molded posthumously, such heads were highly idealized representations that presented the Akan canon of beauty. Distinctive features such as hairdo and cicatrices personalized and individualized the representation. Often honoring rulers or important individuals, such heads were positioned in sacred areas within a cemetery.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Memorial Head (Mma)
  • Date: 19th–20th century
  • Geography: Ghana
  • Culture: Akan peoples
  • Medium: Terracotta, slip
  • Dimensions: H. 9 1/4 x W. 5 x D. 5 1/8 in. (23.5 x 12.7 x 13 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics-Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Melvin A. Scharfman, 1986
  • Object Number: 1986.485.2
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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