Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did Torres Strait masks used in funerary ceremonies differ from masks used for hero cults?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Oceanic art and architecture
An Aboriginal Australian decorating a tightly woven dilly bag with white, yellow, and ochre (red) paints, Northern Territory, Australia, 1948.
In the context of Oceanic art and architecture, masks used in the Torres Strait were crafted primarily from tortoiseshell plates lashed together, but their design and usage varied significantly based on their ceremonial purpose.1
The masks differed in the following ways:
- Hero Cult Masks: These were designed to be worn horizontally on top of the head. They typically represented fish or composite creatures, such as a crocodile or hawk head combined with a fish’s tail. Occasionally, these masks featured a subsidiary human face added to the top.1
- Funerary Masks: In contrast, these masks were more naturalistic in appearance. They featured slightly elongated faces and earlobes and were further embellished with wigs and beards made of human hair.1
While both types of masks were integral to the religious life of the islands, their distinct forms—horizontal, composite animal figures for hero cults versus naturalistic, hair-adorned human representations for funerary rites—served to differentiate their specific roles in ritual reenactments and ceremonies.1