Small gilt bronze standing figure holding a skull, with a topknot and fringed skirt, against a dark background.

Ascetic Holding a Skull

A small standing figure in gilt bronze, bare-chested with a prominent belly and a fringed skirt, its hair in a tall topknot. The right hand holds a rounded skull-like object while the left hand is raised near the chest, and the worn gold shows dark patches.

Look closer: A fringed hem runs along the bottom of the skirt, easy to overlook beside the figure's torso and hands.

Artist: Unknown
Date: c. 500 CE
Medium: gilt bronze
Source: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Size: 2791 × 3400 px

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Public domain · The Cleveland Museum of Art releases this image under CC0 (latest date 550).
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: CC0 (Cleveland Museum of Art Open Access, share_license_status=CC0)

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund

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