Discover the oldest ritual mask in Japan

A group of Japanese archaeologists said they found a piece of a wooden mask used in rituals and believed it to be the oldest specimen in Japan.

This wooden mask dating back to the end of the second century was excavated from the ancient ruins of Daifuku Remains in the city of Sakurai in Nara Prefecture, according to researchers.

The human face, a 3-by-9-inch piece of wood, was discovered with wooden armor and some bronze items.

UPI news agency quoted Teruhiko Hashimoto, the leader of the research team, said the piece of wood had an eye, part of the mouth and two small holes, which could be a wooden mask that was used in religious ceremonies.

This wooden mask is more than a decade older than another wooden mask found in the city today.