mask

1916.9.211 Name and identification of character A soldier/warrior, hevaya (or hevarala or heva kolam) (Sin.). Context This character appears with a group of soldiers in the first stage of the Kolam performance, in the dance of the warriors, heva kolam (Sin.). The soldiers are made to enter the place of performance in order to uphold law and order. Their duty is to maintain discipline prior to the arrival of the royal party (vide Preface). Material Wood, vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica). Iconography A mask with a hideous appearance with numerous sword cuts, gashes, swellings and leeches attached to the face. The mouth, the nose and the chin are distorted. A few teeth are broken, perhaps to denote results of heavy fighting. But the upper two rows of teeth, under the nose, are incongruous with the other sculptural details of the mask. The face is asymmetric. The left half of the nose is split. The hideous nature of the character is highlighted by the application of paint: greenish yellow, black and red. 2000 06 03 Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka 1916.09.0211 Sri Lanka Ceylon Sri Lanka Ceylon 1916.9.211 Name and identification of character A soldier/warrior, hevaya (or hevarala or heva kolam) (Sin.). Context This character appears with a group of soldiers in the first stage of the Kolam performance, in the dance of the warriors, heva kolam (Sin.). The soldiers are made to enter the place of performance in order to uphold law and order. Their duty is to maintain discipline prior to the arrival of the royal party (vide Preface). Material Wood, vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica). Iconography A mask with a hideous appearance with numerous sword cuts, gashes, swellings and leeches attached to the face. The mouth, the nose and the chin are distorted. A few teeth are broken, perhaps to denote results of heavy fighting. But the upper two rows of teeth, under the nose, are incongruous with the other sculptural details of the mask. The face is asymmetric. The left half of the nose is split. The hideous nature of the character is highlighted by the application of paint: greenish yellow, black and red. 2000 06 03 Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka 1916.09.0211