Characteristics of African masks

There are many forms of African masks, which can be roughly divided into four categories: one is to cover the face like a face, the other is to wear it on the head, the other is to cover the whole head, and the last is a flat plate tied to the head, either very long or very high, or very wide. No matter what kind of mask, most of them are made of a whole piece of wood.

Whether painting or carving, bold patterns are a powerful expression factor of African mask design. Most patterns tend to adopt symmetrical geometric patterns, such as parallel lines, rectangles, zigzag, cross, curve and spiral. Patterns are usually given specific information. The face of the mask is decorated with tattoo marks or patterns, which can show social status or have some magic and religious power. Various braids and hairstyles decorate the top of the head. Different geometric patterns are sometimes used to distinguish male and female masks. Interlaced crosses and geometric patterns are often used as details on African masks. Due to the spread of Islamic faith in Africa, the influence of Islamic culture can also be seen in some patterns.

African masks are made of various raw materials, mainly wood, but also bronze, brass, copper, ivory and clay. Shells, colored beads, bones, animal fur and plant fibers are usually used for decoration. There are two main reasons for using wood to make masks: there are a lot of trees in the forest. At the same time, people think that trees are spiritual and the place where the masked gods live. Before cutting down trees, loggers will make sacrifices to the tree god and ask him to allow them to cut down. This kind of ceremony is common in many ancient cultures. Wooden masks are usually colored with natural pigments extracted from vegetables, plant seeds, tree trunks, soil and insects. Sometimes, some sacrificial blood is sprinkled to enhance their magic.