This serene representation of the head of a Buddha displays the standard iconographic features of a cranial protuberance (ushnisha) emblematic of his omniscience, empty elongated earlobes symbolizing his renunciation of the material world, and a small, raised circle (urna) between his eyes above the bridge of his nose. Described in texts as a whorl of hair, it is a sacred marking that signifies his prominence and enlightenment. The Buddha’s hairstyle of “snail-shell” curls references the cutting of his long princely locks of hair prior to his embarking on a life of meditation and asceticism. His eyes are half shut and look downward to convey his inner contemplation and compassion. The Buddha’s smile represents his tranquility and ability to transform suffering. The artistic style and medium of volcanic stone suggest this Buddha head was made for a religious monument in Central Java in circa 825-850, such as the renowned Borobudur Temple in the form of a mandala created in circa 778-850 during the Shailendra Dynasty (760–860). Rediscovered in 1814 during the administration of Sir Stamford Raffles (1781-1826), Governor of the Dutch East Indies (1811-1816), Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Originally 504 Buddha statues and 2,672 narrative relief panels adorned the monument. Comparable Central Javanese Buddha heads are in the Cleveland Museum of Art (1942.1087), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1982.220.3), State Museum of Ethnology, Munich (SMV VIII.459), Wereldmuseum (previously known as the Tropenmuseum), Amsterdam (RV-1403-2924), British Museum, London (1859,1228.175-.177), and Miho Museum, Koka City, Shiga. See also M.80.50.