Shiva's Face

Description

This damaged sculpture of a male head, going by the carvings on all sides except the rear, indicates that the larger sculpture, that the head was part of, was not fully freestanding. Some details from this fragmentary artefact also stand out- most prominently, the figure's hair being fashioned into a headdress (as the jata-mukuta) along with an intertwined snake, a symbolism very commonly associated with Shiva. Other notable features include intricately carved ears and facial features, and a calm meditative expression on the figure's face. While damaged, the rear also shows portions of hair extending beyond the jata-mukuta. This figure was likely the head of a larger Shiva sculpture, which has faced great damage over time.