• A symmetrical African mask with human features is characteristic of this type of mask.NA/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  African art is as diverse as the continent itself. However, a number of characteristics can be seen repeated in various art forms, including that of the African mask. Masks play an important role in traditional African culture, particularly in religious ceremonies and social rituals. These masks are a powerful symbolic item, linking the wearer with his ancestors, the animal kingdom and the spiritual world.
  
  

Construction Materials

• The construction of African face masks is still carried out in the traditional manner, a process passed down through the generations. According to the Rebirth Africa website, African masks were, and still are, made of various materials, including leather, metal, fabric and various types of wood.
  
  

Styles

• African masks are designed to be worn in three basic ways, a factor that often influences the mask's construction and design. Face masks are worn vertically over the face. Crest masks rest upon the head, often with material hanging down to cover the wearer's face. Helmet masks encase the wearer's entire head. The mask is generally worn as part of a full costume.
  
  

Human Characteristics

• Human characteristics are normally apparent in African masks. Features vary greatly between cultures and regions, but some recognizably human characteristics, male or female, are usually evident. African art uses human features to symbolize the living and the dead, as well as the idea of a spiritual being, says the Africa Cradle of Life website.
  
  

Animal and Hybrid Characteristics

• According to Access Gambia, African masks often feature a combination of human and animal characteristics in order to connect the power of the animal concerned with the human world. A wide variety of animals are represented in African masks, including monkeys, crocodiles, fish and birds. The mixing of human and animal characteristics creates a hybrid form, a spiritual being that connects man with beast. It is not uncommon to see a mask with human features combined with the horns of an animal.
  
  

Proportion

• African artists place much import on balance and proportion, says the Africa Cradle of Life website. Realism is not necessarily central to the depiction of a human or animal subject, but a strong sense of proportion is nonetheless achieved using color and balance in terms of scale. This sense of symmetry and balance can clearly be seen in most African masks.