schotheindkop
Schotheindkop is a term in a fictional ethnographic tradition used to describe a ceremonial wooden mask central to winter solstice rites in the imagined region of Nordmark. The object is typically carved from alder or maple and measures about 25 to 40 centimeters, with a stylized face, narrow eye slits, and occasional inlays of bone, horn, or mineral pigment. The name combines elements from a regional dialect, with schot meaning “shield” and eindkop roughly implying an ending cap, a linguistic cue to its protective and seasonal symbolism.
Origins and distribution: The earliest documented references appear in a medieval codex from Nordmark, attributed to
Function and symbolism: In rites, the mask is worn during processions to enact the transition from dark
Schotheindkop scholarship: Ethnographers study its production, iconography, and social role, while debates consider whether masks serve