Mask of a human face

One of the notable characteristics of the Mesoamerican artistic tradition is the manufacturing of burial masks. The most ancient masks were made in the Middle Preclassic, as far as we know, and they continued to be used at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Mesoamerican artists had the necessary technology and materials to manufacture paper and wooden masks, and  it is certain that such masks were used for dances, theatrical representations, religious celebrations and even for war. Burial masks were made in clay and, frequently, in stone.

The nobles of Mezcala tradition are among those that designated more resources to grave goods. In fact, the stone artifacts that form the Mezcala tradition are almost entirely burial, although some of them may have been used in life. In addition to the repertoire of escorts (anthropomorphic and zoomorphic) and some jewelry and clothing of status, the artists of the Middle Balsas made burial masks. We can suppose that a burial mask was not made for all deceased, but only those of high status. This is much in the same way as the abundance of escort figures and jewels or the presence of scepters would be indicators of higher status.

Mezcala masks show some similar features which we see in the small stone figures of this tradition: in general , a more schematic than naturalist treatment and a considerable abstraction that defines figures with just a few lines. 

This mask features the same type of variant that we have mentioned for different Mezcala pieces and which is sometimes associated with the variant or sub-style called Chontal, with greater contouring of the parts of the face and a more naturalistic treatment of the expression. In this case, the shape of the eye crevices reveals that the mask was completed with smaller pieces of another color.