104 - Enigmatic mask

Enigmatic mask with a crescent moon on the forehead and richly decorated with symbols. Hardwood, antique reddish-honey patina, signs of wear. Kham Magar, central-western Nepal. H. 23 × W. 17 cm. Publication: - Éric Chazot, Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert, *Himalayas – Art & Shamans*, Paris, LMDD, 2009, Volume I, No. 37. The crescent moon engraved at the top of the forehead dominates a carefully arranged array of esoteric symbols. The plant motifs on the cheeks, combined with the various figurative symbols, reflect an iconographic vocabulary specific to the shamanic traditions of the Kham Magar, in which the mask served as a medium for ritual expression rich in meaning.