I purchased this unique mask years ago at a flea market and after having it in my home office all these years, it’s time to say goodbye to it. My office is also the guest bedroom now, and this mask creeps out our guests, especially the Granddaughter, LOL. I’ve made several attempts at getting a reliable evaluation and appraisal of this mask, but that has been difficult. The best I have gotten is an honest opinion from a mask collector and by my own research viewing masks for sale on and Etsy and various sale houses. This is my best stab at an adequate description: This mask is a Tovil (devil) mask and is used in the ancient Sri Lankan pre-Buddhist healing ritual of the Yakun Natima (Devil Dance). Believing that illness is caused by the curse of evil spirits, masked performers representing demonic gods dance with the patient to hypnotic trance-inducing rhythms. The ritual combines both psychology and Ayurvedic ideas about disease to treat participants by dancing to the point of exhaustion. The mask dates to the early 1900’s and is carved wood with lacquer paint on Gesso. It has eye slits and a jaw hinged with thread. The hair is dried grass or some other organic material. This mask appears to be genuine and not made for the tourist trade.
Please don’t hesitate to write with any question or comments. I will consider all reasonable offers. Thanks for reading!
Related Items:
Vintage Hand Painted Wooden Elephant Made in Ceylon Sri Lanka Figurine
$12.00
Vintage Sri Lankan Brass Platter Kandy Esala Perahera Elephant Procession
$95.00
Vintage Sri Lankan Hand Carved Wood Bamunu Face Wall Hanger Folk Art 17”
$58.50
