Wooden Mask

Dublin Core

Title

Wooden Mask

Subject

Masks

Description

Vajrayana Buddhist use colorful, dramatic masks in traditional Cham lama dances in order to transform their identities. Vajrayana Buddhist consider the Cham dance a type of mediation as the dancers are well trained to perform the precise ritual. This traditional dance is an allegorical dance about the victory of Buddhism over negative powers. The masks represent Buddhist teachers, saints, wrathful deities, animal deities, and other characters.  Many other traditions also use similar masks such as Hinduism. 

Check out the High Library for more information. 

Check out some Cham Lama dances below. 

Contributor

Elizabethtown College (Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA)
Dr. William V. Puffenberger

Rights

Elizabethtown College retains all intellectual property rights to this image including, but not limited to, digital rights and any derivative works. For permission for reproduction, please contact the College’s Administrative Assistant for Humanities.

Format

A large wooden mask painted colorfully used for the Cham dance. The back of the mask is unfinished wood.
18.25 in X 22.25 in (46.4 cm X 56.5 cm)

Type

Physical Object

Identifier

Puffenberger #5

Coverage

Nepal