Ceremonial Masks
Perhaps no other object reflects the true nature of Mexican indigenous culture, ceremony and spiritual complexity like the dance mask. Masked festivals dating back to pre-Hispanic times play an important role in the social and religious life of the Mexican people to this day.
Masks and the different dances that they are used for vary from honoring pre-Hispanic gods that would provide successful harvests, to satirizing the Spanish conquistadores, to celebrating the Easter (Semana Santa) Pageant, to commemorating the dead. Dancing with masks was also a popular way to conduct instructional morality plays among the Indian population such as the Christian Pastorela drama performed during the Christmas season. The collection of Mexican ceremonial dance masks on display in Another Face of Mexico museum number over 600. Masks for sale number about 300.
