The embedded image is mask probably worn for a ceremonial dance for a
Maya ruler, reconstructed from fragments found at an archaeological dig
at the Maya capital city of Aguateca in Guatemala.
Although scholars have guessed that the masks were made of wood or other
organic materials, the example from Aguateca is the first one ever
found to reveal that at least some masks were created by soaking
gauze-like textiles in clay and shaping them into the contours of a
face. When the clay was fired, the textiles burned off, leaving a mask
that was light and comfortable to wear.
From the archives of
Archaeology Magazine.
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