欧亚视野内的喜马拉雅黄金面具

The Himalayan Gold Masks Seen in the Eurasian Perspective

喜马拉雅山脉横亘在青藏高原与南亚次大陆之间，将中国西藏与巴基斯坦、印度、尼泊尔、不丹等国相隔，向来被认为是自然地理和区域文化的分水岭。以喜马拉雅山脉西段为中心的西藏西部地区是印度次大陆诸条大河的源头，这里的神山和圣湖在漫长的历史进程中，逐渐成为包括佛教、印度教、苯教和耆那教四大宗教的圣地。

To date, five gold masks have been found in the middle and western Himalaya region, which were unearthed from Chu Vthag Cemetery in Zanda County and Gurugyam Cemetery in Gar County, both in Tibet, China, Samdzong Cemetery in Mustang, Nepal and Malari Cemetery in Uttar Pradesh, India. The dates of these gold masks are all around the lst-2nd centuries AD; their sizes are varying but all made with repouss6 technique and seamed to textiles. Most of the facial features of the masks are that of the Mongoloid race. This funeral custom had profound background in the entire Eurasian Continent; the funeral masks in different areas might have their independent origins and developing procedures, but the mutual influences and interchanges among neighboring areas are also apparent.