Three demon heads share one crown on the Makara Raksha. At the centre is a large red face with round black eyes, a snarling mouth of long white fangs and a red tongue; on either side a second red head opens its jaws sideways; and at the top a smaller crowned face bares its own set of teeth.
The detail. Behind the side heads rise tall crests of teal feathers tipped with painted eye spots, and a peacock sits on each side panel, turned outward. A small green bird is perched between the upper face and the main one. The teeth are carved as long, separate points and painted white, with fine red lines picked out on each.
The makara. The makara is a mythical water creature found throughout Sri Lankan temple art, most famously in the makara torana, the arch of open-jawed beasts over shrine doorways and Buddha images. This mask carries that creature into the Raksha demon tradition of the island's southern coast. More on Raksha masks.
Size. Made at 45 cm (18 in) tall, large enough to be the centrepiece of a wall. It is carved and painted by hand, so the colours and detail will vary a little from the photograph.
