Head of an Attendant Bodhisattva. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 32 in. (81.3 cm); W. 17 1/2 in. (44.5 cm); approx. D. 12 in. (30.5 cm). Date: ca. 565-75.This head once belonged to a towering bodhisattva who presided over the entrance to the Central Cave at Northern Xiangtangshan. This site, which consists of only three cave temples with colossal figural sculptures, was once strategically located on the route between the capital at Ye and Jinyang, in Shanxi province. At the beginning of the Northern Qi period, it may have been a place for meditation or other Buddhist activities. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.