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Cross River Region, Nigeria Among the most exuberant and extraordinary African headdresses, this highly realistic skin covered headdress was involved in ceremonies and masquerades during which a young woman showed herself at the apex of her beauty. Extremely rare, this headdress recalls and describes the elaborated hairdo of the young women during the pre-wedding rituals. It this baroque hairstyles, patiently elaborated by kneading palm oil, grease and clay, The masterfully carved hairstyle, with its meticulous order, reflects the morality of the woman represented. Her face, crowned by a high, rounded forehead, is dominated by large eyes whose semi-closed pupils convey serenity and restraint. The last collectors who owned it, Madame and Monsieur Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert, underlined its appeal by saying: “Contrairement à beaucoup de nos autres cimiers Ekoi (Ejagham), celui-ci, qui représente une jeune fille, est empreint d’une grande douceur: l’intériorité de l’expression contrast avec l’exuberance d’une coiffe très architecturale.”