MASK HEADS FOR THE DEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 259, 1 November 1890, Page 4 (Supplement)

MASK HEADS FOR THE DEAD.

A Vert Curious Burial Custom of the

Afg'ent Peruvians,

Among the many curious burial customs of the world, ancient and modern, there is nothiug more remarkable than the maßk heads placed within the outer wrappings at the top of the mummy-roll in the ancient Peruvian tomb (saya the St. Louis 'Republic'). One of those heads, now in the collection of G. H. Hurlbut, of Chicago, ia of heroic size, the face only being of wood, differing in this respect from the majority of Peruvian mask heaids, which are generally, with exception of the ornaments, entirely made of wood. Mr Hurlbut's specimen is strongly carved, having a prominent nose and wide, firm mouth. The eyes are formed by excavating oval -depressions in the wood and setting in pieces of shell. First oval pieces of white clam shell were inserted representing the whites 'of the eyes. Upon these, small, circular piecea of a dark kind of shell have been stuck with a cement made from fish-bladders; these dark pieces are for the pupils of the eye. The eyelashes have been made by inserting locks of hair beneath the shell eyes and letting tho ends protrude in all directions. The wooden part of the mask is fiat behind, bub the head has been neably rounded oub wibh dry leaves, which are held in shape and place by an open neb of twisted cord. Around the margin of the mask are five pairs of holes, through which strings fasten a great variety of articles to the grotesque head—little packages of beans and seeds, rolls of cloth of different colours and textures, minute bundles of wool and flax, bits of copper and earth carefully wrapped in fine corn husks, bundles of feathers, etc. Attached fco fche lefb side of the mask by long, stout cords is a pouch resembling a tobacco-bag, about six inches square, the fabric of which resembles coarse sailcloth. From the opposite side of tho head a neb ia suspended in which was placed a variety of objecba equal to those named above—a sling made of cords, bundles of flax cords, small net bags containing beans, ground seed, etc. ; many copper fish hooka, fco which the lines are still attached, sinkers of dark slate carefully wrapped in flax, and husks, together wifch many other curious relics. These articles were doubtless tbe property of the deceased, so placed in accordance with the established customs of the race to whioh he belonged. These masked heads were probably objects of much consideration, although we of the present day are afc loss, to determine their exact use by fche living or their significance as a companion for the dead.