Head of an Unidentified Deity

This high relief head of an unidentifiable deity displays a broad fleshy face with deeply incised eyebrows and mouth. The waves of hair are drawn up beneath a diadem or headband decorated with a double setting at the center, possibly intended to suggest gemstones. The jeweled headband is surmounted by another triangular section with a larger elliptical setting. The scale suggests that this head belonged to near life-size stele of a male deity. No attributes survive which would allow an identification, but the style may be linked to the rock-cut monolithic Hindu temple site of Masrur, in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. This temple, dedicated to Shiva, has been assigned to around the 8th–9th century. Although weathered and abraded, with significant loss to the left forehead and eye, this sculpture may be accepted as being of a similar date. The full rounded features and naturalistic treatment of the face is in keeping with sculptural fragments published from the site.