{"id":12869,"date":"2025-10-03T21:48:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T18:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/?post_type=product&#038;p=12869"},"modified":"2025-10-03T21:48:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T18:48:14","slug":"an-african-punu-mask","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/shop\/african-art\/an-african-punu-mask\/","title":{"rendered":"An African Punu mask"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3>An African Punu mask<\/h3>\n<p>Ritual mask of the Punu tribe from Gabon, located on the west coast of Africa.<br \/>\nThe Punu are one of the Bantu-speaking groups living in southwestern Gabon, particularly around the Ngounie and Nyanga rivers.<br \/>\nThese masks often depict a female face, with delicate features, symmetrical elements, and carefully styled hair that reflects local beauty standards. The closed or half-closed eyes, with an Asiatic gaze, suggest calmness, respect, and inner wisdom, evoking a state of meditation or transition.<br \/>\nThe white face, often painted with kaolin, a type of white clay, symbolizes the spiritual realm, purity, and the spirit of ideal ancestors who protect the community.<br \/>\nThe nine diamonds arranged in a rhomboid pattern on the forehead represent the nine ancestral clans from which the Punu originate, serving as a symbol of unity embodied in a spiritual figure that encompasses them all.<br \/>\nThese masks are used in dance rituals, often performed on high platforms or stilts, and are typically associated with purification or social renewal, honoring the ancestors, spiritual balance, and guidance during rites of passage\u2014such as the transition from childhood to adulthood\u2014as well as the peaceful passage into death, protecting the living from the turmoil of mourning.<br \/>\nEarly 20th century<br \/>\nDimensions: 34x20x18 cm<br \/>\nCondition: Very good, with natural wear from use.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CERTIFICATE<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Certificate of authenticity is provided.<\/li>\n<li>Please contact us For further information and detailed photos of the items.<\/li>\n<li>Please contact us for shipping details and cost.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":12870,"template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[77,76,13],"product_tag":[],"class_list":["post-12869","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-african-art","product_cat-new-arrivals","product_cat-works-of-art","first","instock","taxable","shipping-taxable","purchasable","product-type-simple"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/12869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=12869"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=12869"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vithoulkas-antiques.gr\/eng_ver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=12869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}