Made in: Chiapas, Mexico

Description: Traditional decorative mask from the south of Mexico, Chiapas. Carved in wood and decorated using geometric forms and various colours. It is part of Mexican folk art, representing regional animals. Masks in Mexico are used in a wide variety of dances, ceremonies, festivals and theatre. In these dances, non-professional performers wear masks to transform themselves into other beings or characters, representing as well the nahualism belief, that (certain) human beings can transform into animals.

History: Mask making is a part of Mexican ritual life that pre-dates the arrival of the Spanish. Many indigenous groups in Mexico and Guatemala use animal masks in the performance of dances and pageants that reenact religious and mythological themes. These themes originated in Pre-Hispanic times when masks were buried with the dead, suggesting they had a transformational function and meaning. While most traditional masks are made of wood, they may also be made from leather, wax, cardboard, papier-mâché and other materials.

Dimensions: 30 cm x 17 cm x 10 cm (without the horns)

Stockist: Den Haag, the Netherlands