Gold headdresses such as this piece are used in the Reamker story, the Khmer version of the Ramayana, which supports the 'lakhaoun khaol' (all-male dance-drama) tradition. They are made as part of a set of lakhoun masks. This headdress is used for the human character, Laksmana, brother of the epic hero, Rama. Performances of this dance-drama are considered as offerings to the gods.Lakhaoun khaol was revived at the court of King An Duong during the mid 19th century and again during the reign of King Norodom (1859-1904). The tradition of making masks was revived yet again in the 1980s by the late Mr. An Sok whose family survived the Khmer Rouge. Commissions such as this help to sustain living traditions. It is thought that this set of masks could well be the most comprehensive set to have been made by Mr. An Sok who passed away recently.
