AN IMPORTANT CHAM GOLD REPOUSSE AND GEMSTONE-SET DIADEM, CHAM PERIOD Published: The Zelnik Istvan Southeast Asian Gold Museum, page 110, Budapest 2013.

Vietnam, former kingdoms of Champa, circa 10th century. Decorated with three heads of Shiva, each with almond-shaped eyes, bushy brow and mustache, an urna, and long pendulous earlobes, the heads surrounded by foliage above a wave border. Set with spinel, almandine, zircon, and amethyst cabochons, two loops for mounting.

Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe.
Condition: Very good condition with minor traces of age and wear, some minor bending, few tiny nicks here and there, and soil encrustations.

Weight: 84 g
Dimensions: Height 8.5 cm, length 45.9 cm

Expert's note: Diadems were used to adorn stone images of gods in Cham religious cult. They were made of gold or silver plates with repoussé technique and gemstone inlays. They often depicted Shiva and the 'face of glory' (kirtimukha) on a background of lavish floral ornamentation, leafy tendrils and scrolls.