Human world
Head of a male God, probably Vishnu, carved from greenstone
10-12th century
Accession Number 67.140
This head is from Angkor, one of the most important civilisations in Southeast Asia for almost 500 years. In the 12th and 13th centuries, when the population of Paris was 100,000, Angkor was said to have 750,000 inhabitants.
Hinduism is one of the world's oldest faiths. Its origins are in India, thousands of years ago. Indian settlers sailed to South East Asia along the trade routes in the 1st century AD. They mixed with local people who adopted their ways, fitting elements of Hinduism into their existing ideas and practices.
The sculptures on display show how Hinduism influenced the stone sculptures from India and South East Asia.