Mask of Begtse

Begtse (Mongolian: Jamsaran) is the protector of the leader of Mongolian Buddhism, the Bogda Gegeen, and thus plays a prominent role in Mongolian ritual dance. In Mongolian monasteries an annual masked dance known as tsam focuses on the elimination of negative energies, specifically the exorcism of enemies of the religion and the destruction of forces that obstruct the path to enlightenment. This mask, decorated with roughly six thousand pieces of coral, is quite heavy and would have been worn by a specially selected strong, young monk who could manage the weight. A framework inside enabled the dancer to look out through the mouth. Masks of Begtse like this were made only in Mongolia, and few of them are known to exist.