This Ekpo nyoho mask was used by the elders of the Ekpo secret society of the Eket-Ibibio people of southeast Nigeria. These masks represent ancestral spirits and were used to teach right from wrong, enforce social discipline, protect villages from witchcraft and disease, and provide entertainment. They were carved in a highly stylized manner, featuring distorted or exaggerated facial features, bared teeth, and grotesque designs meant to represent chaotic spirits. This is a beautiful early example of a nyoho mask, with a distinguished provenance, coming from the dealer Julius Carlebach and the collection of Ruth and Ernst Anspach of NY.