The Face Off project was developed by advancing five parallel research phases: (1) the review and analysis of existing data; (2) the building of a theoretical framework; (3) the development of the historical and archaeological background for each culture, site, and region of the Iron Age Mediterranean yielding evidence related to masking practices, to maximize and formulate precise research hypotheses; (4) the collection of new data from various museums and archaeological excavations; (5) laboratory work aimed at developing and testing a method to interpret the emotions conveyed by the masks; and (6) a graphical reconstruction of case studies that allow for visualising the biography of selected masks and the various practices associated with their use.
This multidisciplinary approach has allowed us to enucleate the multifaceted use of masks and characterise the practices of the various Iron Age Mediterranean communities and cultural groups. Common elements have been sometimes identified among the masking traditions of these different cultures, but they primarily concern formal aspects such as decorations, colours, and imagery. Conversely, the practices – even in cases where centres like Carthage exert a supra-regional influence in the circulation of particular iconographies – appear to largely follow internal dynamics that may refer back to older local traditions. The Face Off project has shifted the focus from the mask to the individuals involved in masked activities in various capacities – mask wearers and/or users, participants performing other roles, and the audience – and the spaces hosting these events. In the realm of sensory perception, the most significant achievement has been the development of an interdisciplinary scientific method aimed at understanding the emotions conveyed by masks.
Ideas, results, and theoretical perspectives were presented concurrently with the progression of the research, occasionally taking advantage of conference invitations to delve deeper into specific themes or broaden the scope of the investigation. This approach aimed to reach diverse audiences, considering that the Face Off project encompasses cultures and geographical areas that are typically studied separately. To achieve these goals, presentations were made at the following venues: (1) Kition and the Phoenicians in the Mediterranean Sea, Multispace of Creativity and Culture (Larnaca – Cyprus), 1/10/2022; (2) 10th International Congress of Phoenician and Punic Studies, Palacio de Congresos de Ibiza (Ibiza – Spain), 20/10/2022; (3) Il Mediterraneo antico e gli studi fenicio-punici, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (Rome – Italy), 29/11/2022; (4) Representations of Goddesses and Gods in Palestine, German Society for the Exploration of Palestine (Mainz – Germany), 3/12/2022; (5) Articulated Figurines in Ancient Greece and Beyond, University of Fribourg (Fribourg – Switerzland), 24/06/2023; (6) Demonios, espíritus malignos y otras entidades del inframundo en las culturas antiguas, Universidad de Sevilla (Sevilla – Spain), 2/05/2024; (7) Women and Gender in the Phoenician Homeland and Diaspora, the Badè Museum’s virtual series (USA), 2/5/2024.
The dissemination activities include a programme of publications. The following papers have already appeared: (1) Orsingher 2023, “Human-shaped Vessels and Funerary Practices: a Jug from Ibiza”, in Graells i Fabregat et al. (eds.), Thauma. Festschrift dedicado a Dirce Marzoli, Alicante:251-262. (2) Orsingher 2023, “Architecture and Afterlife: Small Portable Shrines and Ritual Activities from Tyre to Ibiza”, JEMAHS 11(2-3):256-279.
3(öffnet in neuem Fenster) Orsingher, A. 2023, Review of Maeir et al. (eds): To Explore the Land of Canaan, OLZ 118(2):103-105.
4(öffnet in neuem Fenster) Orsingher 2023, Review of Kleiman, Beyond Israel and Aram. The Archaeology and History of Iron Age Communities in the Central Levant, OLZ 118(4-5):310-312.
https://doi.org/10.1515/olzg-2023-0094(öffnet in neuem Fenster).
Papers given at conferences will be published in indexed journals and peer-reviewed series. Two of them have been submitted and are expected to be published by 2024: (1) Orsingher, “«La fortuna di Elissa». Bilanci e nuove prospettive negli studi sui Fenici e Cipro”, Il Mediterraneo antico e gli studi fenicio-punici. A cento anni dalla nascita di Sabatino Moscati. Rome: Bardi Edizioni. (2) Orsingher, “Kition, its terracottas and their Mediterranean connections: a reappraisal”, in Kition and the Phoenicians in the Mediterranean Sea (The ARWA Collection). Brepols.
