Male cult mask
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3047942
Male cult mask
East Greenland, Ammassalik District, Inuit
| Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
|---|---|---|
| Danish Collection Jan Lundberg, Malmö, Sweden |
H: 12.2 inch | This object is not available anymore. |
driftwood, soot, bone, base
The mask, which was animated by unique strengths and had the power of metamorphosis, was designed to assist the "angakoq" (shaman) when he stepped forward to identify with the medium through which he sought to establish contact with the powers above.
The mask was also used after feasts when the Eskimos indulged in more mundane activities like drum dances and song duels.
Holmstedt, Leif Birger, Magic masks and figures from Greenland, Kopenhagen 2008, p.64 ff.
