Maskette ·  Russia, Siberia, Evenki · ID: 3050774

Description

metal (white tin/copper/brass), old collection label “Eskimo Siberia HW21 19/6/21”, base

A simple, hammered dot decoration is recognisable along the edge. The human facial features are highly simplified. It is possible that the plaque was originally conceived as a plain pendant which was modified. The reuse of metal for the manufacture of all kinds of shamanic equipment was a common practice among the Evenks.

In terms of size, it could be categorised as an idol mask (up to 8 cm). They served as facial covers for wooden figures that contained the soul of a deceased person or assisting spirit. The figures were dressed and attached to the robes of shamans (cf. Ron Bronckers, 2021, p. 73).

However, the plaque could also have been used in the cult of the dead. Bronckers refers to the tradition of placing silver plaques on the eyes of the dead instead of death masks.

The object Maskette with the object ID 3050774 was last part of the auction 102nd Auction at April 13, 2024 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 42 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,500.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on Asian art and Eurasian art.

Comparing literature

Ron Bronckers, "Masks of the Evenki and Magyar - New Connections", p. 79, fig. 13, in Tribal XXV:3-Number 100, Summer 2021, p. 72-81 Margolis, Richard, Ancient Bronze Art and Ethnographic Objects from Siberia and the Urals, Seattle 2023