Throughout history, great civilizations have
adorned their important dead with masks. The
pharaohs of Egypt, the kings of Myecenae, and
the chieftain of ancient America were all buried
wearing masks. Sometimes these preserved the
appearance of life while in other cases they
captured the spiritual essence of the deceased.
Though the facial details of this clay mask are
minimal, we feel the string presence of an
individual here. We have no doubt that this
funerary mask was created for an aristocrat, a
person of strong personality and worldly rank. In
the presence of this powerful effigy, we feel we
know him intimately.
- (PF.1438)
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