Mask, Whitaker Museum, Mozia, Sicily, Italy

Smiling terracotta mask with large mouth and wrinkles, late 6th century BC, from the Tofet of Mozia, in the Mozia Museum or Whitaker Museum, in Mozia, a Phoenician island city, Trapani, Sicily, Italy. This type of mask was used to fend off evil spirits, and is usually found next to remains in Punic tombs. Mozia was founded in the 8th century BC by the Phoenicians, and remained an important city and Carthaginian trade outpost, thriving until it was overthrown by the Syracuse Greeks in 397 BC. In 1888 the island was rediscovered by Joseph Whitaker, who, through his Fondazione Giuseppe Whitaker, excavated the site and founded the island's museum. Picture by Manuel Cohen

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Carthage Carthaginian Emotion Fondazione Giuseppe Guardian Isola Lagoon Marsala Moria Mothia Motian Motya Mozia Mozzia Outpost Pantaleo Phoenicia Phoenician Protector Punic Sicilian Stagnone Tophet Trapani Whitaker Wrinkle

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