Relief of three-headed Batō Kannon 馬頭観音 - Granite - Japan - mid-Edo period (18th century)

Very rare granite relief of Batō Kannon 馬頭観音, the Horse-Headed Kannon, one of the distinctive manifestations of Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

Japan, mid-Edo period (18th century)

This sekibutsu 石仏, or stone Buddhist image, depicts Batō Kannon standing with three faces, six arms and a wrathful expression (funnu 忿怒), against a pointed halo (kōhai 光背). His attributes include a sword, a trident and a bow.

This deity is traditionally identified by a small horse’s head appearing above the face or within the headdress. This unusual iconography reflects Batō Kannon’s role as a powerful protector, capable of overcoming obstacles and relieving suffering, in accordance with the belief that “Batō devours passions as a horse eats grass.”

Many Batō Kannon sekibutsu were deliberately placed beside roads, at crossroads, mountain passes and other locations intimately connected with travel and the movement of horses. As such, they often also functioned as roadside markers, while offering protection to travellers and their animals.

Condition · Very good overall, with weathering consistent with age and prolonged outdoor exposure, a small chip near the base and an uneveness in the centre.

Weight · 10.9 kg