This mask is known as a Raksha mask, and was used to perform Raksha dances in the traditional type of folk plays known as Kolam, performed in the west and south-west of Sri Lanka. Naga Raksha or Cobra Mask is a very prominent representation that portrays a demon who could transform into a King Cobra. The masks were traditionally carved from a tree known as the kaduru tree which was believed to have mystical powers.
