What is a khon mask made of?

Khon is a Thai classical dance notable for its brilliantly painted performance masks. But over two hundred years ago, khon used no masks. During the reign of King Rama I (1782-1809), the faces of khon performers were painted according to descriptions taken from the Ramakien, a Thai version of the Indian Ramayana epic. During King Rama II (1809-1824) khon masks become a indispensable feature of the khon classical dance. Making khon masks requires great artistic skill and a profound knowledge of the Ramakien, i.e. facial expressions, exact lineaments and specific colour of each character. Khon masks are divided into two main categories: crowned and uncrowned masks. To make a khon mask, the artisan first applies layer upon layer of sa paper onto a plaster model and sets it do dry in the sun, When the papier-mache hardens, it is cut open and stitched together. Then rak, a type of lacquer, is applied before the papier-mache is covered with another layer of sa paper. This process is repeated twice. The result is polished with sandpaper. And is ready to be embellished. The mask is then painted with descriptions taken from the Ramakien. Khon crowns and coronets are often made of cowhide, stamped with decorative motifs, painted with lacquer, covered with gold leaf and embedded with synthetic stones.