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Source Description
Combining animal and human traits, this example of a genre of mask called <em>suruku</em>, meaning “hyena,” most likely belonged to the Korè, one of six power associations that the Malinke would have adopted from their Bamana neighbors. The Korè is concerned with the circumcision and initiation of male youths into adulthood. The mask probably served as one of the symbols of the different Korè classes.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
163542
label
Helmet Mask
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
163542
contentType
object
title
Helmet Mask
description
Combining animal and human traits, this example of a genre of mask called <em>suruku</em>, meaning “hyena,” most likely belonged to the Korè, one of six power associations that the Malinke would have adopted from their Bamana neighbors. The Korè is concerned with the circumcision and initiation of male youths into adulthood. The mask probably served as one of the symbols of the different Korè classes.
date
mid- to late 1800s
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Mask
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 47 cm (18 1/2 in.)
cul
Africa, West Africa, Mali, Malinke-style blacksmith-carver
accession
2004.84
Source extras
tec
Wood and probably resin
tombstone
Helmet Mask, mid- to late 1800s. Africa, West Africa, Mali, Malinke-style blacksmith-carver. Wood and probably resin; overall: 47 cm (18 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund, 2004.84
collection
African Art
didYouKnow
Holes along the top ridge of this mask once held a crest made of cane, red fibers, and cowrie shells.
citations
citation
Petridis, Constantine. "New Acquisitions of African Art at the Cleveland Museum of Art". African Arts. (44) No. 1, Spring 2011. Pg. 55, Fig. 3.
citation
Petridis, Constantine, "Celebrating Bamanaya", Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine</em>. Vol. 46 no. 02, February 2006
page_number
Mentioned & reproduced: p. 8
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>The CMA Companion: A Guide to the Cleveland Museum of Art</em>. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2014.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 28
citation
Leiris, Michel, and Jacqueline Fry. A<em>frique Noire : La Création Plastique</em>. Paris: Gallimard, 1967.
page_number
no. 312
creditline
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:29:50.285000
sourceId
163542
dept
African Art
coll
African Art
med
Wood and probably resin
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
b72c56d6ae821d7d