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Venetian
Venetian masks are an old tradition of Venice, Italy. Masks are typically worn during carnival, but have been used on many other occasions usually as a device for hiding the wearer's identity and social status. It was useful for a variety of purposes, some of them illicit or criminal, others just personal, such as romantic encounters. Venetian masks are characterized by their ornate design, featuring colors such as gold or silver and the use of complex decorations.
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Native American
Most masks were worn in religious ceremonies. Masks represent a transformation of an individual into a representation of the Spirit World to allow him to identify with and control the forces of nature that threaten him. They represent an ancient shamanic tradition of shape-shifting. They represent kinship, the relationship of humans to the natural world.
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Greek
The Greek word for mask is "Persona" the masks were used in many ways two of which are ceremony and theater. The masks were over exaggerated so the audience could see the actors expression. These masks were made from cork, wood, leather, and human or animal hair.
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African
The masks represent spirits of animals or ancestors, mythological heroes, moral values or a form of honoring of a person in a symbolic way. They are made from wood, pottery, textiles, copper and bronze. Details could be made from animal teeth, hair, bones and horns as well as feathers, seashells and even straw and egg shells. Maker of the masks has a high rank in the village because it is believed that he has a contact with a spirit world and making masks is a craft passed down in the family.
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