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Head of a Deity or a Deified King
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The diadem is depicted tied to the intricate tiered headdress worn only by a god or king. Without further attributes, the identity cannot be known. Khmer sculptors of the 10th century emphasized powerful forms and extroverted expressions. The incised pupils suggest that this sculpture underwent the ritual of awakening, in which the eyes were added last. The royal head on the left is from a temple dedicated to Shiva, which was established by the Khmer king Jayavarman IV (928–942) in his remote capital of Koh Ker, 100 miles north of Angkor.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineHead of a Deity or a Deified King, mid-900s. Cambodia, Koh Ker, Reign of Jayavarman IV, 928-941. Sandstone; overall: 37.4 cm (14 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Dudley P. Allen Fund, 1923.95
