Nepalese Yak Hide Shaman Mask – Gurung/Magar – Mid-20th Century

Nepalese shamanic mask in yak hide

Origin: Nepal, Middle Hills / Himalayas
Tradition: Gurung / Magar
Date: mid-20th century
Material: moulded yak hide with natural hair
Dimensions: H 30 × W 15 × D 9 cm
Weight: 200 g

Middle Hills ritual mask

The mask has an elongated human-animal expression with narrow eye apertures, an open mouth and a strongly extended lower face. Long dark hair survives across the forehead, cheeks and sides, giving the piece a striking and unmistakably organic presence.

Shamanic context

Hide masks of this type are associated with Gurung and Magar communities in Nepal’s Middle Hills. Within local shamanic practice they are linked with healing, purification and protective rites, in which the wearer embodies or mediates a spirit presence.

Construction and condition

The reverse clearly shows a thick hide shell rather than a carved wooden core. The surface retains extensive wear, dryness, staining and localized hair loss from age and use. A simple suspension wire is attached at the upper edge.

Each object is examined before it is offered: material, casting or carving technique, surface, and signs of age are compared with documented references. You will receive a certificate of authenticity and an official invoice detailing the period, material, and available provenance.

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