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Carved wooden death mask / Native American; Yupik-Inupiaq

Essay/Description

Wooden mask.

The masks were often made from wood or furred or de-haired skin and depicted legendary figures and the spirits (Issenman 1997, 208). During dances and ceremonies, shamans would perform with masks representing his or her tutelaries (guardian animal spirits). When the bond between the shaman and the tutelary was strong and close, the spirit would occasionally allow the shaman to show its face, or essence. Thus, some masks have hinges that when opened reveal a face within an animal and other masks lack the hinges and just show the face.

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Title(s): 
Carved wooden death mask
Culture: 
Native American; Yupik-Inupiaq
Date: 
19th century
Period: 
Historic
Place: 
Point Hope, Alaska, United States of America
Materials/Techniques: 
wood
Classification: 
Object Type: 
Accession No: 
73.405
Department: 
Not On View

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