Antique Indian Tribal Festival Mask

Our lovely old antique tribal festival and play masks are guaranteed authentic vintage items, drawn from across India. These are not a modern reproductions! Each mask is unique and may have signs of old paint, and will come with a few minor nicks and bruises as you would expect with an old item like this. Local theatrical dramas are often acted out with special costumes and masks and used to support dances and plays. The stories are told time and again and usually involve the triumph of good over evil. They may be enacted in the hope of a good harvest or clement weather and are often used for major festivals, particularly in Northern India. The spirits of the mountains and forests must be appeased for the village to prosper. When not in use, carved wooden masks may be hung above the hearth and acquire a smokey patina or they may be stored in a chest until the next time. In northern India the masks are often hung from the ceiling, locked away in a special room because they have such powers that they shouldn’t be seen casually. Most are 80-100 years old, although notoriously difficult to date accurately.