Carved wooden head of a Lokapala, a Chinese funerary piece from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), which stands out for its expressiveness and protective function.

Head of Lokapala

China

Impressive head of Lokapala, a traditional guardian of tombs, carved in fine wood with great detail and expressive power.

Their bulging eyes and slightly open mouths convey vigor and power, characteristics typical of these spiritual protectors.

The hollow back allowed it to house remains like an urn. Due to its size and material, it could have been part of a set of guardian figures in Buddhist temples or aristocratic tombs.

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Description

Funerary figure from the Tang Dynasty. It is a head of a Lokapala or tomb guardian, made of carved wood. It was common to place four guardians in wealthy tombs, usually one in each corner (mostly made of sancai pottery).
Their function is to act as guardians to repel attacks from both spirits and humans.
A piece of great expressiveness, with bulging eyes and a furiously open mouth. The back is open, hollow, to contain remains, like an urn. Due to its dimensions, it could be part of the protective guardians of some temple, as lokapalas of stone or wood have been found in Buddhist temples.
It shows some restoration and damage due to the passage of time (cracks and fissures), but its overall state of preservation is good.

HEAD OF A LOKAPALA. TANG DYNASTY
China (618-917 AD)

Restoration status

It shows minor restorations and damage typical of the passage of time, such as cracks and fissures; its general state of preservation is good.

Historical context

During the Tang Dynasty, Lokapalas were placed in elite tombs to protect them from evil spirits and looters. They represented the syncretism between Buddhist beliefs and Chinese funerary traditions, commonly appearing in ceramics and, in exceptional cases, in wood or stone for temples and mausoleums.