African Ironwood Ornament Drum Early 1900's

A tall drum from the Central African Republic. The drum was used for ceremonies and ornamentation. It was hollowed out from one piece of ironwood and covered with animal skin on top for beating and creating sound; the front features an elongated human face. Ironwood is a dense wood that takes a lot of effort to carve. The drum skin has holes in it, commensurate with age and use, and the drum is 22 3/4 in. high, 8 3/4 in. in diameter, and 10 1/2 in. across. From the Dale Baker Collection.