Figure 4

A. Ekoi mask, Nigeria, 19th century. 26 cm.

B. CT: 3D views in which the structures of lower density than bone have been erased, revealing that the incisors of a carnivorous animal (1) have been inserted in the upper jaw of a human skull.

C. CT: a selection of thin axial sections which illustrate the original technique used to make the mask: the nasal cartilage was replaced by a piece of carved wood (2) and covered with antelope skin; the eye sockets (3) were filled with cloth; the temporal fossae were filled with clay (4) and sticks (5), finely carved to give the impression of scarification, were inserted under the taut antelope skin. The articulated wooden tongue is attached to the top of the wickerwork by a fiber ligature (6). The cavity of the right frontal sinus is filled with a magic charge (7), covered in turn by clay and antelope skin.