since 1983
Silverwood Estate Winery
Making
wines
Explore the land where our grapes are nurtured, and experience the estate that brings every bottle to life.
At Silverwood Estate, winemaking is more than a craft — it is a family legacy passed down through generations.
cabarnet sauignun
vitnage 2022




cabarnet sauignun
vitnage 2022

cabarnet sauignun
vitnage 2022

cabarnet sauignun
vitnage 2022


cabarnet sauignun
vitnage 2022





ABOUT
Maskatorium
MASKATORIUM is a project that presents ritual masks from different cultures around the world. Although these are inanimate objects, ritual masks hold a living presence — representing mythological figures, spirits, deities, or ancestral forces. In many ways, they tell stories that go far beyond the material they’re made from.
The masks on this site are not just artifacts. Each one subtly responds to the viewer’s movement, using the mouse parallax feature of Wix Studio — echoing the way ritual meaning is shaped through attention. This interaction invites a moment of quiet exploration between viewer and object.
Credits & Acknowledgements
Image credits:
High-resolution object photography: Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by Elie Posner Behind-the-scenes photography: Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
With thanks:
We would like to thank The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, for generously sharing their knowledge and visual materials throughout the development of this project.


making
wines
MaskatoriuM
Explore the land where our grapes are nurtured, and experience the estate that brings every bottle to life.
At Silverwood Estate, winemaking is more than a craft — it is a family legacy passed down through generations.
Maskatorium
5.0
peru, south america
funerary MASK
Date:
300–500 CE
Material:
Silvered copper and shell
Size:
38.5 × 29 × 8 cm
5.1 Moche culture
The Moche flourished on Peru’s northern coast from 100 to 800 CE, ruled by priest-warriors. Known for advanced irrigation, they also practiced human sacrifice and created remarkable ceramics and metalwork. In Moche society, religion, death, and power shaped every aspect of life.
- Bottle representing Ai Apaec, the powerful
Moche god associated with protection and
transformation in funerary rituals.
- Clay and gold
- H: 20.1; W: 17; D: 19.2 cm

[A.1]
- Owl transformation figure
- Clay and pigment
- H: 7.5; W: 17.5 cm

[A.2]
- Owl-shaped pectoral ornament,
placed on the chest of the
deceased during Moche burials.
- Silvered copper and shell
- H: 21; W: 35 cm

[A.3]

5.2
ritual use
5.3 Symbolism
This mask was used in funerary rituals, most likely placed over the face of the deceased to help guide their spirit into the afterlife.
Owls frequently appear in Moche art as creatures of the night and as intermediaries between worlds. The owl depicted on this mask may have symbolized the soul’s passage through darkness or acted as a guardian, guiding the deceased safely into the afterlife.
2.0
New Ireland ,
Papua New Guinea
Tatanua Mask
Date:
1880–1920 CE
Material:
Wood, plant fibers, pigments, shells
Size:
Approx. 48 × 38 × 23 cm
2.1 Malangan Culture
The Malangan culture of New Ireland centers on elaborate funerary ceremonies honoring the dead. These rituals feature masks, carvings, dances, and feasts that affirm clan identity, social status, and spiritual continuity, with many artworks traditionally destroyed after use.
2.2 ritual use
Tatanua masks were worn during Malangan funerals, representing either the deceased or a spiritual guide. The ceremonies blended music, costumes, and sculpture to honor the dead and reinforce community bonds.




2.3
Symbolism
Malagan masks are symbolic rather than realistic, featuring a limited palette of red, white, and black—red symbolizing the ancestors’ “eternal skin.” Their designs include repeating geometric and plant motifs, sacred animals, crescent shapes, and intricate openwork faces with snail shell eyes and round ears.
[A.1]
[A.2]
[A.3]
3.0
Southeast ern Nigeria
Double-faced
Helmet Mask
Date:
300–500 CE
Material:
Wood, metal, pigment
Size:
38.5 × 29 × 8 cm
3.1 The Ejagham People
The Ejagham (Ekoi) are an ethnic group from southeastern Nigeria and parts of Cameroon, renowned for their wooden masks covered in animal hide—often featuring double or triple faces—and for the ancient Nsibidi script. Their rich artistic and cultural traditions continue to play a significant role in the region today.
3.2 ritual use
The Ekpe mask is worn by initiates and members of the Ekpe society during secret ceremonies that uphold community laws and hierarchy. The wearer assumes spiritual authority, using the mask to command respect and influence. Rituals featuring dance, drumming, and symbolic performances reinforce social unity and the power of tradition.
3.3
Symbolism
The double faces likely represent opposing forces such as male and female or human and spiritual. The mask features Nsibidi motifs—an ancient script rich in cultural meaning for the Ejagham—though their full significance remains a guarded community secret, open to various scholarly interpretations.
drag the mask to rotate
1.0
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kifwebe Mask
Date:
19th–20th CE
Material:
Wood, natural pigments, plant fibers
Size:
Approx. 35.6 × 34.3 × 18.4 cm
1.1 Songye and Luba Peoples
The Songye and Luba are renowned for their complex secret societies, which blend political authority with spiritual practice. These groups use ritual objects—especially Kifwebe masks—to enforce social order, resolve conflicts, and connect with ancestral forces. While closely related, the Luba emphasize purification and healing, whereas the Songye focus more on social control and authority.
Female Songye mask

[A.1]
Male
Songye mask

[A.2]






















1.2 ritual use
Male Kifwebe masks are worn by secret society members during funerals, initiations, chief enthronements, and rituals of social control, paired with raffia costumes and forceful dances to assert authority. Female masks—typically white and rounder—are also worn by men in fertility and purification ceremonies, where they are danced with grace to symbolize balance.
1.3 Symbolism
Kifwebe masks are decorated with incised or painted linear patterns in white (purity), red (danger and power), and black (mystery). Male masks feature prominent crests that emphasize strength and control, while female masks are softer and rounder, symbolizing fertility and balance.

4.0
Gabon,
Central Africaa
ngil mask
Date:
19th–20th CE
Material:
Wood, natural pigments, plant fibers
Size:
Approx. 35.6 × 34.3 × 18.4 cm
4.1 fang culture
The Fang are Gabon’s largest and most influential ethnic group, with communities in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. Renowned for their deep reverence for ancestors, secret societies, and exquisite woodcarving, Fang culture continues to thrive today. Family traditions, ritual arts, and elements of ancestral religion continue to shape modern practices, most notably in the spiritual ceremonies of Bwiti.
4.2 ritual use
Worn by the leader of the Ngil—a powerful male secret society that acted as both judge and spiritual guide—this mask played a central role in nocturnal ceremonies around the fire. Its ghostly, white-painted face cast an imposing and unforgettable presence, amplifying the mask’s symbolic authority and power.
4.3
Symbolism
The mask’s striking and formidable appearance was no accident—it was crafted to evoke awe and fear. The white kaolinite surface symbolized spirits, death, and male fertility. Though the raffia costume was essential in ceremonies, Western collectors often valued only the carved mask, ignoring the costume’s significance.

[Kaolinite clay]
Kaolinite was finely ground into powder and mixed with water to create a smooth paste. This paste was then meticulously applied to the mask, giving it its signature white finish.


6.0
Kodiak Island, Alaska, Alutiiq
Spirit Whistle Mask
Date:
1870 CE
Material:
Wood, pigment, and feathers
Size:
41.3 × 24.1 × 12.4 cm (Without the feathers)
6.1 Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) People
The Alutiiq are Indigenous to coastal Alaska, where they have lived as marine hunters for over 7,500 years. Their animistic and shamanistic beliefs center on spirits (suk) inhabiting animals and nature. Seasonal ceremonies honored these spirits with dance, masks, and gift-giving, strengthening bonds among people, ancestors, and the environment.
6.2 ritual use
Masks played a central role in community festivals, particularly during hunting and memorial rites. Dancers wore them to embody spirits, animals, or mythical beings. Whistling masks, along with drums and other instruments, produced sounds to summon or honor spirits. After ceremonies, masks were often hidden or destroyed to contain their power.





















6.3
Symbolism
Alutiiq masks embody a spiritual presence, with each color carrying symbolic meaning: red for life and energy, black for mourning and power, white for purity and celebration, and blue-green for the supernatural and the sea. Their forms evoke birds, animals, or celestial forces, while whistling conveyed sacred messages from the spirit world.
Tap the Instruments
[A.1]
[A.2]
[A.3]
Puffin-beak rattles, crafted with layered hoops and vivid red-black paint, accompanied dancers and shamans. Some were shaped like animals and used by ritual specialists to connect with the spirit world.
Whistles were used to summon spirits during winter festivals or healing rites, often carved into masks with puckered mouths. Their sound was considered both sacred and dangerous, believed to bring blessings or cause harm.
Drums formed the rhythmic heart of Alutiiq rituals, struck with carved sticks to guide songs and dances. Faces carved into the handles may have represented the spirit believed to reside within the instrument.
Rosé of
Pinot Noir
sauvignon blanc
limited edition
Chablis terroir in a bottle — radiant, restrained, and stunningly pure. Lemon zest, pear, white flowers, and wet stone glide over a crisp mineral frame, with subtle brioche from gentle oak aging. A masterclass in balance and elegance.
Origin of Grapes: Chablis, France
Vintage
2022
price
$ 34.00
Food Pairings: Roasted chicken, crab cakes, creamy pasta, camembert.
Alcohol Content

Cabernet
sauvignon
sauvignon blanc
limited edition
Chablis terroir in a bottle — radiant, restrained, and stunningly pure. Lemon zest, pear, white flowers, and wet stone glide over a crisp mineral frame, with subtle brioche from gentle oak aging. A masterclass in balance and elegance.
Origin of Grapes: Chablis, France
Vintage
2022
price
$ 34.00
Food Pairings: Roasted chicken, crab cakes, creamy pasta, camembert.
Alcohol Content

Cuvée Blanc
sauvignon blanc
limited edition
Chablis terroir in a bottle — radiant, restrained, and stunningly pure. Lemon zest, pear, white flowers, and wet stone glide over a crisp mineral frame, with subtle brioche from gentle oak aging. A masterclass in balance and elegance.
Origin of Grapes: Chablis, France
Vintage
2022
price
$ 34.00
Food Pairings: Roasted chicken, crab cakes, creamy pasta, camembert.
Alcohol Content

MERLOT
sauvignon blanc
limited edition
Chablis terroir in a bottle — radiant, restrained, and stunningly pure. Lemon zest, pear, white flowers, and wet stone glide over a crisp mineral frame, with subtle brioche from gentle oak aging. A masterclass in balance and elegance.
Origin of Grapes: Chablis, France
Vintage
2022
price
$ 34.00
Food Pairings: Roasted chicken, crab cakes, creamy pasta, camembert.
Alcohol Content

CHARDONNAY
sauvignon blanc
limited edition
Chablis terroir in a bottle — radiant, restrained, and stunningly pure. Lemon zest, pear, white flowers, and wet stone glide over a crisp mineral frame, with subtle brioche from gentle oak aging. A masterclass in balance and elegance.
Origin of Grapes: Chablis, France
Vintage
2022
price
$ 34.00
Food Pairings: Roasted chicken, crab cakes, creamy pasta, camembert.
Alcohol Content

sauvignon blanc
sauvignon blanc
limited edition
Chablis terroir in a bottle — radiant, restrained, and stunningly pure. Lemon zest, pear, white flowers, and wet stone glide over a crisp mineral frame, with subtle brioche from gentle oak aging. A masterclass in balance and elegance.
Origin of Grapes: Chablis, France
Vintage
2022
price
$ 34.00
Food Pairings: Roasted chicken, crab cakes, creamy pasta, camembert.
Alcohol Content


