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In ancient Egypt, masks were primarily used for two purposes: as death masks and as ritual masks. Ancient Egyptians believed that it is very important to preserve a body of the dead because the soul has to have a place where to dwell after the death. Preservation of the dead body was done by mummification. It was also considered very important for the soul to be able to recognize the body so it can return to it. Ritual masks were worn by priests during rituals. Priest who wore a mask of a god during a ceremony would become an avatar of god, an embodiment of god himself. Priest would speak his words and convey his will.

http://www.historyofmasks.net/mask-history/history-of-egyptian-masks/

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Every year, from February to March, Carnival in Venice takes part. It started in 1168 as a celebration of victory of Republic of Venice against Ulrica, Patriarch of Aquileia, and became annual event until it was banned by King of Austria in 1797. It was again re-established in 1979 and is again held annually. Carnivals in Venice is famous for its masks that everyone wears and are very specific.
Masks that are traditionally used during Venetian Carnival can be divided in to two groups: Commedia dell' Arte masks and Carnival masks.
Commedia dell' Arte was a type of improvisational theatre that was popular form 16th to 18th century but is played even today. Traveling artists and actors would set up a stage and perform juggling acts and plays. Some Venetian carnival masks are taken from these plays and they carry the names of the characters that wore them. “Arlecchino” is a half-mask with a short, wide nose, arching eyebrows and a bump or a boil on a forehead. “Brighella” is a half-mask too, often painted green with a pointed nose and sombre eyes. “Captain Scaramouche” - also a half-mask that only covers the eyes, white, with a very long nose. “Colombina” half-mask decorated with feathers, silver, and gold. It covers eyes and cheeks. "Pierrot is a full mask, white, with vertical lines bellow and above the eyes and a teardrop. Carnival masks have their names too and are more popular. “Bauta” is probably the most famous of masks. It covers the whole face and has no mouth but it has beak-like chin that allows wearer to talk, eat and drink without taking it off. “Gatto” is a half-mask in a shape of cat’s head. Cats were rare in Venice and this is probably one of the reasons for choosing that shape for a mask. “Dottore Peste” or “Medico della Peste” is a strange looking mask. Venice was a victim of a plague several times in its history. This carnival mask is a copy of a historical masks that were worn by doctors that treated patients that had plague. They were made from leather with a long “beak” in which herbs were placed and had opening for seeing covered with crystals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_of_Venice#Carnival_masks

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Ritual and ceremonial masks are an essential feature of the traditional culture of the peoples of a part of Africa. Ritual masks widely vary in different cultures, some traits are common to most African cultures. For instance, masks usually have a spiritual and religious meaning. The masked are used in ritual dances and religious events. A special status is give to the artists that created the masks and to those who wear them in ceremonies. In most traditional African cultures, the person who wears the ritual mask normally loses his/her human identity and turns into the spirit represented by the mask itself. The transformation of the person who wears the mask into the spirit represented by the mask usually relies on other practices, such as specific types of music and dance, or ritual costumes that contribute to conceal the mask-wearer's human identity. Masked dances are a part of most traditional African ceremonies related to weddings, funerals and so on. Every spiritual mask has its own meaning, most traditions need several different traditional masks. African masks are usually shaped after a human face or some animal's faces.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_African_masks