Introductory
No Greek theatrical mask (Greek: prosōpon) survives today. Masks were made by a specialized craftsman (skeuopoios, “manufacturer of theatrical properties”) using perishable material (most likely thin stuccoed linen, cf. the ancient scholium to Aristophanes’ Frogs 406, less likely wood or leather), hence they could not stand the test of time. Our material evidence is limited to representations and generally derivative renditions of the real thing, objects of art used for a variety of non-theatrical purposes, such as dedication to shrines (by victorious actors, performance sponsors or troupes), trade (souvenirs of performances), decoration, show of culture and/or declaration of “Greekness”.
Such archaeological evidence as we have is extremely disparate: it belongs to a variety of genres (vase paintings, mosaics, reliefs, figurines, terracotta or marble replicas, ornamental elements in architecture, etc.); it derives from a great...
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Citation: Petrides, Antonis. "Masks in Greek Theatre". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 28 December 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=7211, accessed 09 June 2026.]
