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- Dictionaryface covering
noun
- 1. a covering or mask worn over the face, especially one that conceals the nose and mouth: "evidence suggests face coverings reduce the spread of coronavirus"
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FACE COVERING definition: 1. a covering for all or part of the face that protects or hides the person wearing it: 2. a…. Learn more.
a piece of material that you wear over all or part of your face, especially in order to reduce the spread of disease The document includes advice for people to wear face coverings on public transport and in some shops.
Masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress transmission and save lives; the use of a mask alone is not sufficient to provide an adequate level of protection against COVID-19.
- Overview
- General characteristics
- The making of masks
mask, a form of disguise or concealment usually worn over or in front of the face to hide the identity of a person and by its own features to establish another being. This essential characteristic of hiding and revealing personalities or moods is common to all masks. As cultural objects they have been used throughout the world in all periods since ...
The masks of the world display virtually infinite variety, from the simplest of crude “false faces” held by a handle to complete head coverings designed with ingenious movable parts. Mask makers have shown great resourcefulness in selecting and combining available materials. Among the substances utilized are woods, metals, shells, fibres, ivory, clay, horn, stone, feathers, leather, furs, paper, cloth, and corn husks. Surface treatments have ranged from rugged simplicity to intricate carving and from gaudy adornments to polished woods and mosaics.
Masks generally are worn with a costume, often so extensive that it entirely covers the body and obscures the wearer’s recognizable features. Fundamentally the costume completes the new identity represented by the mask, and usually tradition prescribes its appearance and construction to the same extent as the mask itself. Costumes, like the masks, are made of a great variety of materials, all of which have a symbolic connection with the mask’s total imagery. Mask and costume are best understood as a unit and in performance.
With few exceptions, masks of a ceremonial nature were and are made by professional artisans or noted sculptors. In societies in which masks of supernatural beings have played a significant ceremonial role, it is usually presumed that the spiritual power of the created image is strongly felt by the artist. A primary belief involved in both the conception and the rendering of these objects was and is that all organic and inorganic matter contains spiritual power and that the mask itself therefore possesses the power of whatever material was used to make it. This power is considered a volatile, active force that is surrounded by various taboos and restrictions for the protection of those handling it. In the example of ceremonial masks, certain prescribed rituals must be followed in the process of the mask’s creation. In most instances the artist’s tools too contain spiritual power, and even these must be handled in a prescribed manner.
As the form of the mask develops, it is usually believed to acquire power increasingly in its own right, and again various procedures are prescribed to protect the craftsman and to ensure the potency of the object. If all the conventions have been adhered to, the completed mask, when worn or displayed, is regarded as an object suffused with great supernatural or spirit power. In some cultures it is believed that because of the close association between the mask maker and the spirit of the mask, the artist absorbs some of its magic power. A few West African peoples believe, in fact, that the creators of masks are potentially capable of using the object’s supernatural powers to cause harm to others.
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- Paul S. Wingert
MASK definition: 1. a covering for all or part of the face that protects, hides, or decorates the person wearing it…. Learn more.
Mar 1, 2024 · When worn by a person who has a virus, masks can reduce the chances they spread it to others. Masks can also protect wearers from inhaling germs; this type of protection typically comes from better fitting masks (for example, N95 or KN95 respirators).
Oct 12, 2023 · For either type of mask, you should choose the one that fits your face well - cover your nose, cheeks and chin without leaving gaps on the sides. Masks with vents or exhalation valves are not advised because they allow unfiltered breath to escape the mask.
