Our MASKS

In the MASKS project, we study and promote traditional masks, costumes, and ritual musical instruments of European rural communities. These are living practices, connected to seasonal rites, Carnival festivities, and other celebrations that mark the passage of time in villages and small towns.

The Carnival mask, understood as part of a long festive period that runs approximately from Saint Lucy’s Day (13 December) to Carnival, is much more than a disguise: it is a visible sign of the vitality of rural communities. Through masks, the community “stages” fears, desires, social roles, and relationships with nature, creating moments of strong social cohesion and tourist appeal.

A shared heritage among Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Romania

Across almost all of Europe, there are mask-related rituals linked to Carnival and other traditional celebrations, but in the consortium countries Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Romania, this tradition is particularly deeply rooted.

Here we find:
• masks embodying ambiguous, grotesque, mischievous, or fearsome figures;
• costumes rich in details, bells, animal skins, colorful fabrics;
• parades, processions, and dances involving the entire community.

The creation of these masks is based on ancient artisanal knowledge, passed down from generation to generation. Rural depopulation and population aging now threaten this tradition: if artisans do not find successors, techniques and symbols risk disappearing.

Zoomorphic masks: human, animal, and nature

A central role is played by zoomorphic masks, in which the human being takes on animal or hybrid features.

These masks represent:
• the fusion between human and animal;
• the deep relationship with nature and the territory;
• the connection to ancient rites of hunting, fertility, and seasonal transition.

The origins of these expressive forms date back to prehistoric times, when human beings identified with the animal to be hunted or on which their own survival depended. Even today, many rites involving zoomorphic masks accompany the transition from winter to spring, the protection of fields and livestock, and moments of rupture and renewal in collective life.

Masks as works of artisanal art

Traditional masks are often true works of artisanal art. Artisans use:
• carved and painted wood,
• modeled and fired clay,
• fabrics, hides, natural fibers,
• recycled elements and complex decorations.

Each mask is unique: it contains the character of the figure, the history of the community, and the hand of the artisan who created it.

Masks appear in key moments of collective life, including weddings and rites of passage, religious celebrations and processions, funerals and rituals related to death and remembrance, popular theatrical performances, and narrations of local myths and legends.

Why protect and promote traditional masks

Promoting and studying these masks means safeguarding an intangible cultural heritage that risks being lost. Through MASKS, we aim to support artisans who preserve this knowledge, pass on skills to new generations, strengthen the cultural identity of rural communities, and contribute to the growth of sustainable rural tourism, respectful of traditions and attentive to local territories.

Our masks are not just objects to be observed, but living stories: they tell of the deep connection between people, landscapes, memory, and the future.