Shaman mask – Wood – Nepal

Tribal mask with red wax stamp on the back.  This seal is not just a random mark—it serves an important purpose in verifying the legal export of the mask from Nepal.

Such masks are among the most primitive in use in the world, and are made by carving wood.

The shaman plays an important social role as the channeler of spirits for healing, purification, and protection of those under his supervision. Masks help the shaman embody one of the spirits that surround the living world and use it to heal the sick, drive away evil influences, and guide villagers through changes in their lives (birth, adulthood, changes in social status, death) that might be affected by the spirit world. When hung in a house, the mask serves a protective function.

Provenance: former private collection from Germany