The head was turned slightly to r. The face is framed by long hair, which is brushed up from the forehead and falls in long continuous curls to the neck, and by full beard. Stop-and-go drill marks are profuse in both hair and beard. Where preserved, cheeks, forehead, and neck show some modeling (particularly in heavy bone structure of forehead), but somewhat hard treatment of surface. The heavy fold of flesh over the eyes is sensitively modeled. The pupils are crescents, irises incised. Of the nose only drill holes of nostrils remain. Lips are also missing but mouth was clearly open and traces of heavy moustaches drooped at sides. Hair on crown of head is chiseled quite flat with central parting and waves to heavier carving of loose hair at sides and over back of neck.

The piece belongs to a venerable type of bearded Zeus related to the Boston head from Mylasa and Zeus at Olympia by Phidias. This is important testimony to a cult of Zeus Lydios at Sardis. Stop-and-go drill work and treatment of eyes point to Antonine date.

Coarse-grained yellowish marble.

Broken off at neck. Tip of beard, lower part of hair in back are missing. Heavy surface damage over much of head. Cement adheres at back.