Mask (Buk), Torres Strait, Mabuiag Island


Mask (Buk), Torres Strait, Mabuiag Island, mid to late 19th century,turtle shell, wood, cassowary feathers, fiber, resin, shell, paint, 21 1/2 inches high (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City)

Though we lack an understanding of its use or cultural context, this turtle-shell mask was certainly precious.


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Cite this page as: Dr. Peri Klemm and Dr. Beth Harris, "Mask (Buk), Torres Strait, Mabuiag Island," in Smarthistory, August 9, 2015, accessed December 9, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/mask-buk-torres-strait-mabuiag-island/.