Hadda: Head of a Buddha

AFGHANISTAN, Nangarhar, Jalalabad

The sculpture represents the traditional style seen in Gandharan sculptures. The figure’s wavy hair is combed back from the broad forehead and is confined in a small rounded topknot. Long, hooded eyes gaze compassionately ahead. The nose above the expressive lips is well-defined but small. There are still traces of vermilion paint around the lips and along the hairline. A mark above the eyebrows indicates where the urna was once present. Most Gandharan statues created in the 5th century were made from plaster. The superb craftsmanship of the sculptors who worked with nothing more than simple tools such as bamboo combs and knives is well exemplified here.