Photograph 2

When found on the floor of the burial chamber (photograph 1) the amber and turquoise eyeballs were still in place on the piece although they were skewed; this fact will be seen to be important as we analyze the probable manufacturing technique used for production of the entire object. The tongue was found adjacent to the piece and in several fragments. The half circle top knot was also separated from the top of the piece. All of these carefuIly plotted discoveries during the excavation of the tomb will ultimately allow the careful reassembly of the whole and also aid us as we delve into the manufacture of the piece. The entire head was slightly deformed and leaning to the proper right (photograph 2), No doubt the deformation occurred from the enormous weight of soil above it in the burial. We can see the results of the rise and fall levels of the water table that affected the tomb over the centuries. These left varying thicknesses of silt on and in the piece and discolored the metal, the greenish tinge is the result of copper in the alloy.

In photograph 2, we see the main face removed from the back plate and both eyeballs and turquoise iris had been removed from the sockets, however, the proper left amber eyeball has been set back in to show its position when found. Some of the loose dirt has been cleaned away and an area along the front bottom of the chin cleaned to reveal the gold in excellent condition. We began to appreciate some of the unusual manufacturing techniques. Note the "seam" with its strap and slot join on the proper left jaw contiguous to the comers of the mouth (photograph 2) (there is a seam on the proper right, also) which secured the lower jaw to the head, a significant detail in the manufacture of the piece. There are also very unusual folded gathers inside the roof of the mouth, and again at both sides of the mouth opening. |p>

The forehead and eyebrow arches, as well as the eyeball sockets are compelling because of their sensitive sculptural modeling (photograph 3). Again, we observed "gathering" of the metal, either side of the nose on the forehead. The same "gathering" occurs on the side of the proper right and left area of the forehead.

Photograph 3

An overall view of the proper right side of the face (photograph 3) shows all of these points in context. Looking from the real and focusing on the same details as seen from the front we observed how deeply the eye sockets were driven into the surface of the face so they could contain the almost round eyeball We were particularly attracted to the lack of tool marks on the interior back of the face even in its uncleaned condition.