A rare monumental buff sandstone head of a Devi North India, 9th-10th century | 印度北 九至十世紀 砂岩雕提毗首

The finely carved head originally belonged to monumental sculpture, and is detailed with rounded face, downcast eyes in a compassionate gaze, full and sensuous lips, and an elaborate coiffure of curls and ribbons with two human skulls at either side. Skulls in matted hair is a characteristic of Shiva but the benign aspect, lack of a third eye on the forehead, elegant locks and a more feminine countenance might suggest that the head depicts the goddess Devi. Devi is often portrayed as a beautiful woman representing the great mother goddess, with wrathful attributes and weapons of battle indicating her role as destroyer, most popularly as Durga slaughtering the buffalo demon Mahisha.