26 cm Antique Hammered Metal Shaman Mask Tin Zinc – Himalaya – 600g

Rare Antique Hammered Metal Shaman Mask (Tin/Zinc Alloy) – Himalayan Region – 26 cm / 600g

Specifications: H 26 × W 25 cm | Weight: 600 grams | Artisan Hand-Broken Sheet Metal | Mounting Holes Surround

An exceptional and extremely rare discovery within the international art trade: a legitimate antique, hand-beaten metal shaman mask (crafted from an early tin, zinc, or tin alloy) from the Trans-Himalayan region (Nepal/Tibet border area). This ritual mask dates from the late 19th to the early 20th century (ca. 1890-1920). Weighing only 600 grams and featuring a strikingly wide, almost square format of 26 by 25 cm, this is a bone-dry and ancient surviving piece of ethnography. Whereas 95% of the masks from this region are made of wood, this metal 'armor mask' represents a highly rare ceremonial variant.

Forging & Apotropaic Symbolism

This brutal, metal wall object radiates an unprecedented minimalist primal power and serves as an unwavering eye-catcher in any high-end or modern interior:

• The Hammered Facial Features: The mask was hammered into shape by hand by a local blacksmith over an anvil or wooden mold. The almond-shaped eye sockets and the expressive, leaf-shaped or heart-shaped open mouth are cut out with brute precision. The bridge of the nose stands up with powerful relief.
• The Garland of Holes of the Ceremony Collars: Unique and iconographically crucial is the continuous garland of hand-punched, square and round holes along the entire outer edge. Historically, a heavy ceremonial collar made of horsehair, textile, or leather scraps was mounted to this to completely conceal the identity of the shaman during ceremonies.
• Mineral Ground and Temple Patina: The metal surface possesses a brilliant, weathered oxidation skin. It is covered with a layered, bone-dry crust of petrified lime and mineral residues, mixed with the jet-black deposits of decades of incense soot and sacrificial fats.

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