Buddha head in tuff from the Majapah Kingdom

Male head in tuff, a volcanic rock formed by the accumulation of ash and debris projected during eruptions, likely of Buddha, since we can see the three folds on the neck (Buddha's distinctive sign - lakshana - for compassion, wisdom, and longevity), also associated with elongated earlobes. Majapahit Kingdom, Hujung Medini (Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand), 15th century.
Although the Majapahit Kingdom developed from Java, it features a stylized headdress from Sumatran art of the time, as well as large ear rings. The kingdom expanded into Sumatra in 1377 by annexing Sriwijaya. This head can therefore be dated to the late 14th century.
Provenance: Claude de Marteau Collection
Sold with certificate of provenance. Head only: H 12 cm x W 10 cm x D 10 cm
On base: H 20 cm
The Majapahit Kingdom, founded in 1293 on the island of Java, is one of the most powerful empires in island Southeast Asia. Its capital was located at Trowulan, and its golden age occurred in the 14th century, under the reign of King Hayam Wuruk (1350–1389) and his famous Prime Minister Gajah Mada. Gajah Mada's ambition was to unify the entire Malay archipelago, Nusantara, which led Majapahit to extend its influence over a vast region including Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Bali, Celebes, the Malay Peninsula (southern Thailand), and even parts of the Philippines.
Majapahit was a centralized state based on a complex network of vassal kingdoms and alliances. Religiously, it was distinguished by a refined syncretism between Hinduism and Buddhism, reflected in its art, its Old Javanese literature, and its architecture, notably its red brick temples with rich bas-reliefs. The kingdom's decline began in the 15th century, weakened by internal conflicts and the rise of Muslim kingdoms such as the Demak Sultanate, which eventually supplanted it around 1527. Majapahit, however, remains a powerful symbol in Indonesian collective memory, inspiring to this day the idea of national unity around the concept of Nusantara, a kind of unity in diversity.
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