Mexican masks have been used in community festivals and in religious rituals since around 3,000 B.C., according to the Arizona State Museum website. During the 20th century, Mexican masks were collected by folk art enthusiasts and were created as collectible items rather than for ritual purposes. Folk art masks are typically based around a human face, but include animal features such as the snout of an alligator, the markings of a jaguar or the ears of a bat.
Traditional African masks portray the likenesses of ancestors long departed or beings of the spirit world and are often used as part of ceremonies. In this role masks are combined with other artistic forms such as tribal dance routines. Nuna masks, for example, resemble the heads of animals such as buffalo and are covered by geometric patterns such as concentric circles. They often feature large horns on top of the mask as well as holes to indicate animal snouts.
Stylized yet simple, the masks used by Japanese actors in theatrical performances are constructed from wood and resemble slightly exaggerated human or monstrous faces. The pale Deigan mask for example features gold eyes but is otherwise a fairly realistic interpretation of a woman’s face, while a Hannya mask resembles a demon. The brown-colored Hannya mask possesses gold horns and fangs.
Traditional Chinese masks are commonly worn at ceremonies such as funerals, where they serve the purpose of calming souls as well as in rituals like those required to exorcise spirits. The sorcerer’s masks found in places such as Guizhou, for example, take the form of large and exaggerated depictions of white colored human faces with red cheeks, mouths and ears. Others are more animalistic in design.
Traditional masks in Britain are often linked to celebrations and festivals that welcome in the seasons. For example, the Bury Man’s mask, which consists of a balaclava covered in roses, is associated with the agricultural cycle. Other masks are seen on the faces of the members of Morris dance troupes. Traditionally, many troupes have a fool, who dons an animal mask and entertains the audience.