Though this website deals mostly with ethnographic masks from cultures all over the world, we occasionally see masks used for protection and other purposes. A few people, like yours truly, enjoy collecting them as well. In our new book, Masks from Around the World, chapter 13 is called “Protection & Protest” and the next one is “Steampunk & Sex.” This mask is on page 173 with the following description.
958 Balaclava
The 3-holed black balaclava was designed as full
cold-weather protection for the head. During the
Crimean War in 1854 handmade balaclavas were sent
over to the British troops to help protect them from
the winter weather. Today they are especially popular
with criminals, revolutionaries and terrorists.
This February we’ve had some very cold days here in Lancaster, PA. : )
