mask

Riksmuseets etnografiska avdelnings nya utställning Riksmuseets etnografiska avdelning, sal 2 Sri Lanka Ceylon 1916.9.284 Name and identification of character A cobra demon, naga rassaya (Sin.) also called ratna-kutaya (Sin.). Context A demon character in stage two in a Kolam performance. Material Wood, vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica). Iconography The headdress is composed of two intertwined cobras with the hoods rising upwards. The snakes are decorated with dot and line designs. The mouth is large and painted in red. It is in the shape of an animal's snout. Whiskers are drawn around the mouth. The teeth are shaped in the form of the petals of a flower. Two eye-teeth. The nose is straight and dented. The eyes are small in size compared to other cobra masks. The circular eyes are shaped by coiled cobras. A cobra rises upwards from each ear. The ear-discs are separately attached. These combine with the two hoods on the head-piece to the shape of a pandal. 2000 09 27 Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka 1916.09.0284 Riksmuseets etnografiska avdelning, sal 2 Sri Lanka Ceylon 1916.9.284 Name and identification of character A cobra demon, naga rassaya (Sin.) also called ratna-kutaya (Sin.). Context A demon character in stage two in a Kolam performance. Material Wood, vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica). Iconography The headdress is composed of two intertwined cobras with the hoods rising upwards. The snakes are decorated with dot and line designs. The mouth is large and painted in red. It is in the shape of an animal's snout. Whiskers are drawn around the mouth. The teeth are shaped in the form of the petals of a flower. Two eye-teeth. The nose is straight and dented. The eyes are small in size compared to other cobra masks. The circular eyes are shaped by coiled cobras. A cobra rises upwards from each ear. The ear-discs are separately attached. These combine with the two hoods on the head-piece to the shape of a pandal. 2000 09 27 Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka 1916.09.0284