Masks and Their Stories

Wooden and leather, iron and paper, woolen and straw, clay and silk… It turns out masks are not just for medical purposes!
Just imagine how many different masks humanity has created throughout its history for ceremonies, rituals, performances, and simply for... practical purposes.
Do you want to see the most interesting and unusual of them? Pavel Boev, the author of the book, anthropologist, and ecologist, will take us into the amazing world of rare and stunning masks. Mahongwe, Bakairi, Tlingit… if you previously knew nothing about these peoples, you will now imagine where they live, what they believe in, whom they worship, and how they use masks in their lives.
The author will lead us through the tropical rainforests of Africa, the jungles in the upper Amazon, and the shores of New Ireland, across the deserts of the Middle East. We will fish with the Tlingits of the Pacific Coast of the USA, witness the topeng dances on the island of Java, carve snow goggles to avoid snow blindness in the Far North, and dive for pearls in the waters of the Persian Gulf. Moreover, our journey will span tens of thousands of years — from the distant past to the present day!
The book contains three large sections, which gather ritual, theatrical, and functional masks. Each chapter — is a separate spread dedicated to a single mask. Chapters begin with a story about the mask itself: its origin, history, and its creators. Then come myths, legends, or historical events associated with this mask. And at the end — information about the natural environment, plants, animals, climate — about how they influenced the culture of these peoples.
The well-known artist Alice Yufa has created amusing characters that "speak" to the reader, making jokes and emphasizing particularly important moments. And the main characters — the masks — are depicted with precise portrait likeness.