Moor / Calavera (Skull) Mask - Naolinco, Veracruz, Mexico

Description

A Moor (
Moro
) mask from the
Danza de los Pilatos
(Dance of the Pilates) in Naolinco, Veracruz, made by the world-famous carver Lino Mora.  The dance, also called the Dance of the Moors and Christians (
Danza de los Moros y Cristianos)
is held annually in Naolinco during the festival of the town's patron saint,
San Mateo Apostól
(St. Matthew the Apostle) in September.  Moor masks in this dance can resemble many characters, such as skeletons, devils, vampires, and indigenous peoples. This mask was made for local dancers, not tourists, and was acquired
in situ
from the maker's workshop.
Region: Mexico
Origin: Naolinco de Victoria, Veracruz
Ethnicity: Nahua
Ceremony: Fiesta de San Mateo (Danza de los Pilatos)
Type: Moro (Moor) in the form of a Calavera (Skull)
Maker: Lino Mora Rivera, Naolinco (1956- )
Age: 2018
Materials: equimite wood; oil-based paint; lacquer; string
Dimensions: 9.25" tall x 6.6" wide
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