The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-18
MteKS or HUMAN FLESH.
Dried ucaig Used 70: Gods--Papu'n /
Medicine nanccs.

Dried ueals Used TO- Gods--Papu,n
Medicine nanccs.
The most remarkable masks known To
the museum collectors are the masks Of
humau flesh The preservation OF hu-
man heads apart from the bodies has
been a very widespread custom, both III
savage ages and among half civilized
ueoples. But the mask con,pose'i Of the
flesh of a human face is peculiar to tie
Islands Of the South Seas and 10 some
parts Of South and Central America. The
New Zealanders had q practice OF preserv-
ing the entire head, either as trophy or
rs a fetch. or perhaps both. The bones Of
the skull were removed, and the flesh
impregnated with some embalming sub
stance that dried il to the consistency OF
tough leather. Thus preserved, the head
Of a man Of ordinary size shrank until no
larger than gooi-siXed orange, but still
retained most OF the characteristic feat
ures Of the countenance.
Much rarer. however, than those en-
balmed heads are the human masks from
the south seas. \ very peculiar peel
men Of one Of these Is seen IN the British
museum. 1t is composed Of the flesh
OF a ch,ettain killed in war; and is re-
markabe not 50 much for the preservation
nor for the care with which the work Of
cmbalming was done, as for the fact that
the mask is heavily jewcled. The eyes
are formed Of pyritcs. the noae Is set with
the delicate and beautiful shells found "a
the south seas, aud q curious mosaic Of
black obsidiaus and green tortoise rams ia
bands across the face, while here and
there, with no apparent regularity, are
set separate beads Of colored stone. It
is true mask, the back part of the s6uil
and the bones OF the face having been re-
moved and the best authorities express
The opinion that tins mask was used ~ an
idol. on on the face OF a Mexican priest
during the ceremonies pertaining 70
human sacrifice.
AinOn- savages religious, festive ana
social occasions are Synonymous. and on
most such masks are used either 10 hide
the face from the deity or TO furnish
mirth for those gathered To see the sport.
Many dances amon- The P2puans were
entirely private and If religion charac.
ter no strangers or women being allowed
10 enter. The Papuau masks are highly
colored In rel. white and black bands
across the face, figures appearing also in
other parts Of Inc coun'enance. The
frame work is of wood. buiIt up with
coco3nut she'll The b-aid Of the nu- is
used for hal and whskef5 On each
side Of the mouth projects q long boar '5
tooth, the points recmviug toward The
ewes. Sometime thcs- PapIan masks
have pfouudmg tongue, and occasionally
from the mouth projects un arrow or
fish. while more rarely the head Of an
animal IS used either Tor nose on chm. or
both The mask IS also used for the
dals dak. or medicine dance. When
chienain or person high in authority
among Papuans becomes sick, man %
hired To DO the dak dak. He dresses
himself IN. palm leaves puts on mask.
performs Certain ,ucantatl0ns in private,
bees from door 70 door and from every
person he meets any small gift they
choose L. bestOw az q reward for bis
services: then performs other unknown
/ incautatons, winding mp with visit To
tine sick man, who. the Fapuau7 naively
state. either gets well or dies. according
to the faith he has in the medicine man
and the wonderful mask.-GlObe-Den
/ oeraf