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Carozzi Collection

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Carozzi Collection of African and South American Cultural Artifacts We Mask
Spanning thousands of years and touching four continents, this collection of cultural artifacts was received over a five year period (1900-1995) as a generous gift of Dr. & Mrs. Albert Carozzi. Here are some of the highlights from this rich collection.
Senufo Bronze Figure
Bete Mask
1990.10.0236
3 of 4 African Masks
We Mask (above), Bete Mask (left), and Vacouba Mask (below) 1990.10.0045
1990.10.0033
1990.10.0042
Vacouba Mask
(left) This is a bush spirit figure and looks like a human in masquerade performance, 1970 CE, 1990.10.0236
Senufo Door
(right) This is an "armpit" drum. The musician holds it under one arm and adjusts the tone by constricting and loosening the tension on the strings that run down the sides. 19th-20th c. CE, 1990.10.0116A Senufo Ceremonial Drum
(left) The powerful, relief-carved animal imagery relates to Senufo beliefs about the order of the universe and indicates that doors such as this one may have been used to close off a sacred space. 19th-20th c. CE, 1990.10.0016
Senufo Knife
(above) From Cote d' Ivoire
Acheulean Bifacial Cleaver
(left) From Mauritania, Africa. Used for butchering and skinning. 1,000,000 - 250,000 BCE, 1995.12.0002
Shaman's Curing Cape
Baule Heddle Pulley (left) The heddle pulley suspends the parallel guides of the warp threads on the loom. They are generally small, highly personal objects carved by master carvers or by the weavers themselves. 19th-20th c. CE, 1990.10.0198
(right) Probably a Shaman's Curing Cape of the Apalai indigeneous people of Northern Amazonian Brazil. ca. 1950 CE, 1990.10.0056.

Most of the artifacts in Collection Highlights articles are chosen to allow website visitors to explore artifacts that are not on display in the Museum's galleries. Try searching the database or exploring the Virtual Tour to find artifacts on display.