Ritual Mask definition of Ritual Mask in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Mask, Ritual

a mask worn in various ceremonies (religious and magical dances). Ritual masks have been widely used since ancient times among many tribes and peoples of the world (in Africa, North and South America, Asia, and Oceania). Made of bark, wood, grass, skin, cloth, bone, and other materials, they depict human faces, animal heads, or the heads of fantastic and mythological creatures. One type of ritual mask covers the entire head.

The use of ritual masks is associated with the worship of ancestors, spirits, and animals, as well as with totemistic concepts. The wearer acts as if he were transformed into the creature depicted by the mask. Ritual masks have often been used by secret societies (for example, among the peoples of Melanesia, Africa, and America) and are used during the initiation of youths into manhood, raids, and the administering of justice. Ritual masks made of cloth and birch bark were formerly worn among a number of Siberian peoples, including the Shortsy, Buriats, and Nentsy, during certain types of shamanistic ceremonies; they were also worn among the Khanty and Mansi, during ceremonies after the killing of a bear.

REFERENCE

Avdeev, A. D. “Maska: Opyt tipologicheskoi klassifikatsii po etnograficheskim materialam.” In Sbornik Muzeia antropologii i etnografii, Moscow-Leningrad, 1957, no. 17; 1960, no. 19.

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No references found	In Gangtok, visit the Sikkim Art Emporium Institute of Cottage Industries Pick up carved wooden tables, or choktses, carpets, thangkas and ritual masks that are a brilliant riot of colours at the government-run Institute of Cottage Industries, where over a 100 students can be seen perfecting their craft. Plus pick: Sikkim by India Today Travel Plus New exhibitors include Astamangala, specialists in Himalayan art and artifacts, who bring ritual masks from Tibet and a very rare 10th-century sculpture of the bodhisattva Manjushri. Rare and exotic: oriental, ancient and non-European art fairs: ... by Blinkhorn, Annie / Apollo This turned into a large event, with 180 ritual masks and with 13 contemporary artists living in Africa or from the diaspora working on the concept of identity. Persona: Masks of Africa--Identities Hidden And Revealed by Bouttiaux, Anne-Marie / African Arts	Ritchie, Albert Ritchie, Alexander Hay Ritchie, Anne Isabella Thackeray, Lady Ritchie, Dennis M. Ritchie, William A. rite rite of passage Rite of Spring, The Ritornello Ritsa Ritsa Preserve Ritsa-Avadkhara Ritschl, Albrecht Ritson, Joseph Ritsos, Iannis Ritsos, Yannis Rittenhouse, David Rittenhouse, Jessie Bell Ritter reaction Ritter, Gerhard Ritter, Karl Ritter, Tex Ritterakademien Rittinger's law Ritual Ritual Mask Ritual Poetry ritualism Ritz Ritz and Galerkin Methods Ritz formula Ritz method Ritz's combination principle Ritz, Walter Riukiu Islands Riumin, Valerii Riumin, Valerii Viktorovich Riurik Riurik Gorodishche Riurik, Sineus, and Truvor Riurikov, Boris Riurikov, Boris Sergeevich Riurikovichi Riutov, Dmitrii Riutov, Dmitrii Dmitrievich Riva Rivadavia, Bernardino Rivalry Rivas Rivas, Ángel de Saavedra, duque de Rivas, Angel Perez de Saavedra, Third Duke of	Ritter reaction Ritter Survival Knife Ritter von Gluck Ritter's disease Ritter's disease Ritter's disease Ritter's disease Ritter, Gerhard Ritter, Karl Ritter, Tex Ritterakademien Rittinger's law RITTS Ritu Ritu Nanda Insurance Services ritual ritual ritual ritual Ritual Abuse-Torture Ritual circle ritual circumcision ritual dance Ritual dances ritual dancing Ritual de lo Habitual Ritual de lo Habitual Ritual Device Ritual Female Genital Surgery ritual killing Ritual Mask Ritual misrule Ritual misrule ritual murder Ritual of the Mahjarrat Ritual Parent Divination Ritual Poetry Ritual sacrifice Ritual sacrifice Ritual sacrifice Ritual Spirit Ritualarium ritualise ritualise ritualised ritualised ritualises ritualises ritualising ritualising ritualism ritualism ritualism ritualist ritualist ritualist Ritualist movement Ritualist movement Ritualist movement ritualistic ritualistic

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In Gangtok, visit the Sikkim Art Emporium Institute of Cottage Industries Pick up carved wooden tables, or choktses, carpets, thangkas and ritual masks that are a brilliant riot of colours at the government-run Institute of Cottage Industries, where over a 100 students can be seen perfecting their craft.

Plus pick: Sikkim by India Today Travel Plus

New exhibitors include Astamangala, specialists in Himalayan art and artifacts, who bring ritual masks from Tibet and a very rare 10th-century sculpture of the bodhisattva Manjushri.

Rare and exotic: oriental, ancient and non-European art fairs: ... by Blinkhorn, Annie / Apollo

This turned into a large event, with 180 ritual masks and with 13 contemporary artists living in Africa or from the diaspora working on the concept of identity.

Persona: Masks of Africa--Identities Hidden And Revealed by Bouttiaux, Anne-Marie / African Arts