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SHORT NOSED
GOD MASK
MISSISSIPPIAN
CULTURE
ST. CLAIR CO., ILLINOIS
A.D. 1050 TO
A.D. 1250
COPYRIGHT
MAY 31, 2006 PETER A. BOSTROM
CAST ILLUSTRATED
CAST
#M-10
SHORT-NOSED BONE GOD MASK
ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS
This short nosed god mask was found several years ago by Larry
Kinsella. He found it in a cultivated field on a bluff top located
south of Belleville, Illinois in St. Clair County. This is the only known
god mask from this area that is made of bone.
This bone god mask is smaller than most
copper
god masks and shell god masks. It's basic outline, a
straight line across the forehead and a bi-lobed headdress are
similar features that compare to other masks. It differs slightly with the shape
of the eyes and mouth. Most god masks have round eyes and a
horizontal line for a mouth. This example has square eyes and a rectangular mouth. This god mask also has two conically drilled
holes on each side of the forehead that would have been used for
suspension. It measures 15/16 of an inch (2.4 cm) long.
It's been suggested that this god mask may have
been a poor mans version. Most god masks were made of copper and shell,
materials that originate from distant locations. But since bone and
wood do not survive very long, it's possible more god masks were
actually made of these more common materials.
Note: The above image is a picture of a cast. The
original was lost many years ago. The picture in the
"Central States Archaeological Journal" is also a cast. Luckily,
it was molded just after it was discovered and casts were made for
future study.
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