The clay theatrical mask depicts the figure of Papposilenus, educator of the god Dionysus, in the form of a mature man, crowned with ivy.

He has large eyes, perforated, a long nose and a rich beard. The eyebrows meet and the mouth is closed, with the upper lip raised at both ends in a way that makes the mask look solemn. Papposileni were the elder Sileni and Satyrs and belonged to the dionysiac cycle of figures and characters. They are depicted as humans, with horse legs and tail, a prominent phallus and often misshapen facial features. They are associated with male fertility, but they can also play the role of educator.

Τhis item belongs to the category of the flat theatrical masks and measures 19 cm (height) x 22 cm (width). The small holes in the upper part of the head and in the ears were used for the suspension of the mask.

Theatrical masks are a common excavation find in houses, sanctuaries, public buildings and graves. Their presence declares the love of the people for the theater. The features imprinted on them are characterized by great exaggeration, in order to express strong emotions or to cause laughter as they convey in an eloquent way the on-stage different characters, female and male, recognizable through the masks. In addition to being used in theatrical events, they used to wear them during religious ceremonies or placed them in burials, as graves offerings, in order to underline the connection of the dead with the theater.

The mask (inv. no. ΜΘ 4302) was handed in to the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki in 1963. It is of unknown provenance and dates back to the 1st-2nd c. AD.

For more information about the ancient masks and disguise, and instructions for the construction of a modern carnival mask, please visit the AMTh website: https://www.amth.gr/en/news/kataskeyazo-ti-diki-moy-maska-kai-metamfiezomai