Marionettes, masks and shadows - Winifred H. Mills; Louise M. Dunn

North American Indian Costumes. One costume that is familiar to every American boy and girl is that of the North American Indian. We occasionally see Indians at the circus, as traveling medicine men, or on their reservations. Many museums are making collections of their costumes and their arts. Government publications, such as the beautifully illustrated ethnological reports, with information about almost every tribe, are in most libraries. Many libraries have the wonderful Curtis photographs. The National Geographic and other magazines have illustrations that could also be used.

Considering the dramatic part that the Indian has played in American life, what subject could be more appropriate for a mask? Indian life and legend offer an equally vivid and colorful opportunity for the mask. The wealth of material is inspiring. Every community in our country can find somewhere in its history stirring events related to Indian life. What could be more interesting than to weave these incidents of pioneer life into masks? These could be presented by school clubs and boy and girl scout troops, in parks and playgrounds.

Israelite Costumes
Priest
Maiden
Tribesman]

Bible Costumes. A mask with characters taken from the Bible could be very beautifully costumed. One could use pictures of the artist, Tissot, who spent many years of his life in Palestine, sketching costumes that he felt were similar to those of Bible times. His illustrations show how widely the rich Eastern costumes differ from our own. The materials used were fine, transparent linen and silk and cloth made from wool and camels’ and goats’ hair. The various classes of people were distinguished by difference in the richness, costliness, and simplicity of their dress. Ornament is very characteristic of all these Oriental costumes. The sculptured figures on one of the tombs near Thebes show the Israelites brought before their Egyptian conquerors wearing fringed garments. Moses commanded that fringe be worn by his people. This was probably a survival of a still more ancient usage in the family of Jacob. Assyrian reliefs show Israelite captives being stripped of their ornaments, sandals, anklets, embroidered robes and tunics, girdles and armlets, thin veils, caps of network, ear pendants, bracelets, rings, and jewels of the nose.

Egyptian Costumes. The costumes of the ancient Egyptians may easily come into a mask of Bible times. Materials used were fine linen, cotton, and wool. The common people wore merely a piece of linen tied around the loins. Occasionally the skin of a tiger or leopard was thrown over the shoulders. Both men and women wore broad collars around the neck and over the breast. The men wore armlets, bracelets, and finger rings, while the women added to these ornaments, diadems, girdles, and bands of ornament around the breast and hips. The headdress was important, for it indicated the rank of the wearer. The illustration shows the characteristic features of their costumes.