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Gaochang: Head of a Heavenly Being
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Gaochang: Head of a Heavenly Being
CHINA, Xinjiang, Turpan; circa 9th century; Clay; H: 25.5 cm; Museum of Asian Art, Berlin, Germany
The head was excavated from the Buddhist ruins of Gaochang. It depicts a Central Asian male, judging from the curly full beard. A peaked headdress with a fish-scale pattern is worn. It is similar to headdresses worn by court officials during the Tang dynasty (618–907). The influence may stem from when the area was under Chinese hegemony. The facial features are exaggerated with arched eyebrows, bulging eyes, a small pursed mouth, and a curly mustache. Similar statues made of clay and dated to the Late Tang period (846–907) were unearthed from the same site, though smaller in scale. |
