Masks and Masking: Faces of Tradition and Belief Worldwide - Paperback

by Gary Edson (Author)

For at least 20,000 years, masking has been a mark of cultural evolution and an indication of magical-religious sophistication in society.

This book provides a comprehensive understanding of the mask as a powerful cultural phenomenon--a means by which human groupings attempted to communicate their dignity and sense of purpose, as well as establish a continuum between the natural and supernatural worlds. It addresses the distinctive environments within which masks flourished, and analyzes the mask as a manifestation of art, ethnology and anthropology.

Author Biography

Gary Edson, professor emeritus of museum science at the Center for Advanced Study of Museum Science and Heritage Management at the Museum of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, was executive director of the Museum for 25 years. The author of numerous books and articles on museum practices, he lives and works in Taiwan, R.O.C.