Mr. Hobbs
Mask Making
Funeral Masks
About: Funerary masks have often been used in ceremonies associated with the dead and departing spirits. These masks were used to cover the faces of the deceased. Their purpose was to represent the features of the deceased, both to honour them and create a relationship with the spirit world. Sometimes they were used to force the spirit of the newly dead to depart into the spirit world, and to protect the deceased by frightening away evil spirits.
Cultures/Places: Ancient Egyptians placed stylized masks with generalized features on the faces of their dead. The funerary mask served to guide the spirit of the deceased back to its final resting place in the body.
Ancient Roman masks resembled the deceased and were often placed over their faces. Sometimes these masks were worn by an actor hired to accompany the funerary procession to the burial site.
Materials: Funerary masks were traditionally made of cloth, covered with stucco or plaster, which was then painted. For more important people, silver and gold were used.
In South America, the mummies of Inca royalty wore golden masks, while lesser important people had masks made from wood or clay.
King Tut's Funerary Mask
A Funerary Mask From Ancient Greece
An Incan Funerary Mask Made from Gold