An exceptional ancient mma commemorative terracotta head from the Twifo Heman region of Ghana, honoring the memory of a high-ranking personality. Described as early as 1602 by Pieter de Marees, these works were exhibited near a sacred site: "All their possessions, such as weapons and clothing, are buried with them, and each of the nobles who served them is represented from life by a clay model, painted and then placed, one beside the other, around the tomb. Their sepulchres are thus in the image of a House, arranged as if they were still alive" (De Marees, Description and Historical Account of the Gold Kingdom of Guinea (1602), 1987, p. 184-185). Commonly referred to as "portraits", these heads were all sculpted by female artists. Within the corpus, this work stands out for the gentle modelling of its face and for its highly elaborate hairstyle, notably marked by three circular bumps on the lower part that probably represent gold ornaments. This rare decoration, found on the commemorative head from the former Casier Collection (Africa: the Art of a Continent, 1995, no. 5.99d), suggests the representation of a high-ranking member of the royal family, perhaps even a Queen Mother - a highly privileged status in Akan matrilineal society, as this ornament was exclusively reserved for them. Akan, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire Gray and ochre fine-grained terra cotta, old visible lack on the central element of the bun, slight surface erosion, old gray clay veil. H. Height: 29 cm Provenance : - Alex van Gelder Collection, Paris, acquired ca. 1970