Head of a crowned Buddha

In Thailand, whether the Buddha is sometimes showed crowned or not has depended on changing religious ideas. Crowned Buddhas were made in the 1100s and 1200s, but then not again until the 1500s. They have continued to be made up to the present.

This head may be compared with that of an image of the deity Shiva to its left. The majesty of both the Buddha and
Shiva is emphasized by the crown. The two heads were made at approximately the same time, but in different regions of Thailand. Though the shape and decoration of the crowns differs somewhat, only small subtleties of modeling and proportion distinguish the faces, showing a degree of continuity of style across regions.

Thermoluminescence testing has yielded a probable age for this object of 250 to 450 years. The museum staff has narrowed this date range by extensive comparison with related sculptures.