Mask

Item number Sf567 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

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Description

A gold-coloured sheet metal mask with embossed facial features and twelve snakes curving outward from the top and sides of the head. The eyes are concentric circles, the mouth has bared teeth and the nose is slab-like. Four small holes near the centre.

History Of Use

Sheet gold face masks, as well as whisker and headdress ornaments, are part of the 'Trophy Head Cult' a new religion introduced into the south coast in the late stages of the Early Horizon period and bringing with it new, non-Chavinoid cultural elements. Embroideries representing the ornaments are generally curvilinear in style although gold ornaments are found in association with both Paracas and Nazca ceramics.