Sherbro Stone Head (Mahen Yafe), Sierra Leone

Merton D. Simpson, New York
Allan Stone, New York, acquired from the above on May 3, 1988

Marks, nicks, scratches, and abrasions consistent with great age, weathering and exposure to the elements. Old losses to facial features as shown in catalogue illustration. Cavity to the proper left side of the nose. Tool marks to proper right back of head. Underside of lips with a line of rust-colored abrasion, possibly an inclusion in the stone. Fine rubbed and aged patina. Underside of neck drilled for attachment to base with a metal post.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Mahen yafe, "head of the chief," are archaeological finds from an area covering parts of present-day Liberia and Sierra Leone. They are believed to have been made by populations ancestral to the Bullom, Sherbro and Kissi and most likely date from a period well before the first contact with Europeans in 1463. In his discussion of a related stone head in the collection of the Musée Barbier-Mueller in Geneva, Siegmann (in Schmalenbach 1988: 105) notes: "Evidence suggests that [mahen yafe heads] were originally made by the Sapi. They usually have elaborate coiffures, often, as in this case, showing a combination of shaved, tufted, and possibly plaited areas. Similar hair styles are described in early seventeenth-century sources, where they are apparently associated with the Sapi aristocracy. The elaborate jewelry, including earrings and nose rings, is also similar to that described in these sources. Although many of [Sapi stone heads] appear bound and gagged, it is unlikely that they represent sacrificial victims, as was previously thought; rather, they are probably chiefs ritually bound at the time of their installation - a practice still observed among
the Temne, who are descendants of the Sapi."