Rod puppet of Rahwana, a giant with ten faces. TThe puppert's faces are on a detachable head (part a). The primary face is red, with a sharp upturned nose, piercing blue eyes surrounded by painted decoration, and an open mouth showing the upper teeth and two long pointed canine teeth. His beard and moustache are made of real hair. On his head is an intricate headdress with a diadem of gold, blue and white, with pompoms hanging in front of each ear, and a pointed centre portion showing the frowning face of a pink skinned man. On the back of the headdress is another carved face with pink skin, red eyes, and an open mouth, from which protrudes a long, curved, red tongue, a set of white upper teeth, and very long curved canine teeth. This face’s beard is a continuation of the real hair used on the red face. A sleeveless, beaded velvet cover drapes down both the front and back of the gold torso (part b). A matching apron ties at the waist and partially covers a long sarong that hides a wooden stick (part c) which extends up through the torso and into the puppet’s head to control its movement. The puppet’s gold arms are decorated with coiled serpents and bracelets and are moveable at shoulder and elbow by wooden sticks attached to each hand. Part d is a square wooden base that the torso stick of the puppet is inserted into to hold it upright.

Mask of a man’s face, with most features and lines carved rather than solely painted. Textured hair has been carved into the top and sides of the mask and painted white. White animal hair, still attached to hide, has been used to create the eyebrows and moustache. Wrinkles have been carved into the face on forehead, cheeks and chin and surrounding the eyes, and have been emphasized with black paint. Under the painted pupils, narrow eyeholes have been bored through the wood. The protruding nose has two nostril holes bored through as well, and there is an air hole through the mouth, between the lips. Two small holes have been bored on each side of the mask at the edges. The interior of the mask is concave.

Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund

Anonymous gift

Gift of Edna Ebling

Museum Expedition 1904, Museum Collection Fund