This article is about masks fitted on the face as an article of clothing or equipment. See Mask (disambiguation) for other meanings.
A mask is a piece of material or kit worn on the face. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes.
The word "mask" came via French masque and either Italian maschera or Spanish másquera. Possible ancestors are Latin (not classical) mascus, masca = "ghost", and Arabic maskharah = "jester", "man in masquerade".
Many masks come at the same time into more than one of these categories.
1 Ceremonial uses
- In religious functions, where participants wear them to represent spiritual or legendary figures.
2 Entertainment
- In theatre plays. Use of masks in the dramatic plays in Ancient Greece evolved from the ceremonial purpose. Masks are also a defining characteristic of the Noh theatre of Japan. The English word " person" came from a Latin word for a theatrical mask: per-sona = "through-sound" = "what the actor's voice comes through". The Ancient Greek word prosopon = "face" originally meant "in front of the face", i.e. "theatrical mask".
- To provide an aura of mystery with professional wrestlers, as well as entertainers like the Unknown Comic , who always wore a paper bag over his head.
- Here also may be included masks worn at masquerade balls.
3 To stop the wearer from being recognized
- Criminals often use masks to avoid identification when they commit crimes. In many jurisidictions, it is an additional criminal offense to wear a mask while committing a crime.
- Occasionally a witness for the prosecution appears in court in a mask to avoid being recognized by associates of the accused.
4 Protective
Protective masks have these functions:-
- Providing a supply of breathable air or other oxygen-containing gas.
- Protecting the face against flying objects or dangerous environments, while allowing vision.
Many masks have both functions.
This category merges into the categories of goggles and protective helmetA helmet is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal or some other hard substance, typically for protection from falling objects or high-speed collisions. Helmets are common in the military, construction, mining and some sps and visorAlan Bean on the moon wearing a helmet with a visor A visor is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects. Types of visors include: A type of hat consisting only of a visor ands.
Here are included:-
- A cloth tied over the mouth and nose as a dust filter.
- Filter maskA filter mask is a protective mask which usually covers the mouth and nose only. It compels its wearer to breathe in through a filter which removes harmful dust from the air. See gas mask.s.
- Gas maskA gas mask is a mask worn on the face to protect the body from airborne pollutants and toxins. The mask may cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face, and will always form a sealed cover over the nose and mouth. Toxins may be gaseous (fs.
- The familiar eyes-and-nose diving maskA diving mask is an item of diving equipment that allows the SCUBA diver to see underwater. The mask must be constructed so that the diver can exhale through the nose into the mask to prevent the "squeeze" caused by increasing pressure during the descent.
- Breathing mask s connected to some industrial breathing setsSCBA is an acronym for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. It is a device worn by rescue workers, firefighters, and others to provide breathable air in a hostile environment. It is sometimes confused with SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparat. These are usually fullface.
- Breathing maskA full face diving mask is a type of diving mask worn by SCUBA divers so that they can talk with the surface or other divers. The diver can speak and hear inside the mask. This allows communications equipment to be installed in the mask and is very usefuls connected to some underwater breathing sets. These are usually fullface. See and for examples.
- Oxygen mask s worn by high-altitude pilots.
- Oxygen mask s used as part of medical oxygen resuscitation kit.
- Anaesthetic mask s used in surgery in hospitals.
- Sport masks such as ice hockey and American football goalkeeper's masks.
- Ski masks.
- Welder's masks.
- The faceplates of spacesuit helmets.
Of masks that supply breathable air, some also cover the eyes (full-face); and some only cover the mouth and nose, and the wearer must also wear goggles.
