Head of Bhairava

Head of Bhairava
Year	16th century AD (Malla period)
Type	sculpture
Medium	Gilt copper with rock crystal and paint
Dimensions	81.3 cm × 91.4 cm (32.0 in × 36.0 in)
Location	Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Accession	2012.444.2

The Head of Bhairava is a 16th-century mask from the Malla dynasty of Nepal that depicts the deity Bhairava. It was originally found in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and is currently held as part of the Zimmerman Family Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

This mask is made of gilt copper with rock crystal, is painted, and is ornamented with a diadem and earrings. The mask was missing its right ear when it was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2012, so they created a new ear from a different material.

Bhairava appears in several South Asian religions, including Hindu mythology, and is associated with destruction and rage.