Head of a God or Priest (work of art)

Created: circa 450—425 B.C.E.
Artist: Artist Unknown
Dimensions: 15 1/4 × 9 × 9 1/2 inches (38.7 × 22.9 × 24.1 centimeters)
Medium: Limestone with traces of pigment; Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Hanes
Object Number: G.79.6.12
Culture: Cypriot
Classification: Sculpture
Department: Ancient

Key Ideas

This sculpture was originally part of a life-size, full body statue.
The identity of the male figure this sculpture represents is unknown. The crown indicates that he may have been a god or a priest.
The eyes, beard, and hair retain some of their original coloring. They were painted with a pigment called red ochre. The main ingredient in red ochre is iron oxide.
Red ochre has been used for over one million years. It can be found naturally all around the world. There are many examples of its use in ancient Mediterranean civilizations.
The color red stands out to human eyes more than any other color. This is due to the way our eyes process and perceive color.
Many ancient cultures believed that red was a divine color.

Learn More

This limestone sculpture is from ancient Cyprus. Cyprus is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The sculpture depicts the head of a male figure with curly hair and a full beard. He is wearing a crown made of sculpted bay leaves, berries, and ivy. The sculpture was originally part of a life-size statue. At some point the head became detached from the body of the statue. The identity of the figure is unknown, but his crown may indicate that this is the head of an ancient god or priest. His eyes, beard, and hair show traces of the original red ochre pigment that was used to decorate the statue.

Red ochre is a pigment that has been used by humans for more than a million years. This red pigment comes from a naturally occurring mineral that is composed mainly of iron oxide. Red ochre can be found throughout the world in many different red tones and levels of transparency and opacity. Red ochre stones can be mined straight from the earth and used like crayons for drawing. A common name for red ochre is hematite, or “bloodstone.” In ancient Greek the prefix “hem” means blood, and the suffix “-ite” means stone. There are many examples of red ochre being used in ancient Mediterranean civilizations. It was highly prized and used by almost every culture in every time period. It is sturdy and resistant to fading, and it is still used today.

Human eyes have evolved to see the color red particularly well. Because of the way our eyes perceive color, red stands out to us more than any other color. Every color produces different wavelengths that our eyes see and our brain processes. The longer the wavelength a color has, the more visible it is to the viewer. Red has the longest wavelength, making it the most visible color on the color spectrum. Its ability to quickly grab attention is why it is often used to warn people of danger. Stop signs, sirens, fire engines, and traffic lights all use red to catch people’s attention and give warnings. The color red’s ability to stand out to human eyes, and its association with blood, may be why many ancient cultures believed that red was a divine color. For many ancient cultures, the color red was symbolic. It was often used in depictions of important mythological, political, and religious figures.

For many ancient cultures, the color red was sacred. It was often used to depict important mythological, political, and religious figures.