Unknown Maker, Chinese

The features of this head, such as the oblong facial contour and almond-shaped eyes help identify it to be of Chinese origin. The material, stone, was also prominently used in China to create Buddhist statuary of all sizes, including monumental sites where statues were carved directly into cliffs.

The cranial extension called the ushnisha, is one of the 32 physical attricutes of the Buddha and is a symbol of his infinite wisdom. The Buddha's hair stylized as snail-shell curls is an iconographical feature found in statues of the Buddha in China from this time and also in later works of Korea, Japan, Thailand, and other regions of Asia.