The famous Mahakala mask

Q: Here is a Nepaleese Mask from my collection. Do you know which god is depicted? Thanks a lot, Wim, 597

A: This is Mahakala, or Gonpo, the most often reproduced mask in the Himalayan area. He is a protector God of the Buddhist faith. He always is shown with the five skulls crowning his head and the third eye. People like to display this mask in their homes and tourists buy them as well. It could be Nepalese, or from Tibet, Bhutan, Northern India, etc. The Himalayas stretch through all of these countries.