Head of a man with beard - Culture Sokoto

This is a carefully produced piece. In the oval face the eyes stand out, circular and with perforated pupils, covered by think, semicircular eyebrows. The nose is fairly flat and above the thick lips, horizontally placed, a fine moustache can be seen. The work of the long beard and the hair is very detailed, presenting a hairstyle which appears to be plaited and arranged in a circular fashion on the form of a helmet. Claire Boullier considers that this type of head formed part of sculputres placed on foot and in a frontal position and suggests, although cautiously, that they may be of a funeral nature. In general, however, the significance of these sculptures, as with those originating in Katsina, is still unknown.