Makonde Headdress Depicting Elephant

An elephant, rendered with enough dignity to wear on the head.

Makonde makers of Tanzania, East Africa, formed this headdress in the shape of an elephant in terra cotta in the 20th century. Masks and headdresses in the region are commonly associated with initiation and with ceremonial dance. The broad head carries two big, rounded ears, small deep-set eyes and a trunk that curls down between a pair of tusks. Fine lines mark the wrinkles of the trunk. The clay is dark, almost black-brown, with reddish rubbing along the edges.

About 8 inches high and 10 inches deep. Heavy-lidded and unbothered, like most large mammals.