Clues on dating metal objects

I have this Buddha head that I am not sure of the date. It could be new but it does have a slight odor of age. I realize that could be an illusion of one sort of the other.

Is is about five inches high.

Does anyone have clues on dating metal objects?

 

looks to be cast in two pieces.....maybe a clue there..!

 

the interior looks way to clean to have much age..........imo..

 

Actual dirt is often a good indicator.

 

There are not direct methods for dating metals, like there is carbon-14 for organic materials, dendrochronology for timbers, or thermoluminescence for ceramics. To date metal objects, you need to research and understand the style and technology appropriate to a particular culture and period. In some cases, sampling and analyzing the metal composition can indicate whether a particular object is consistent, or inconsistent, with a proposed date and source.

I think your piece may represent the Hindu god Vishnu, rather than the Buddha, and looks to be south / southeast Asian. @Any Jewelry may be able to tell you more about the iconography.

It does appear to be cast with a 2-piece mold, as @komokwa observed, which would indicate that it could be produced in multiples. I believe that a piece of that size would traditionally have been made by the lost wax casting technique, in which each object is a unique creation, made without a reusable mold. In some cases lost wax castings retain remnants of clay-like core material inside, which may be datable by thermoluminescence.

I don't think such disembodied heads are a traditional form. Religious sculptures were made as full figures, complete with a deity's distinctive gestures and attributes. Heads were separated from the bodies of larger sculptures to make them more portable and attractive to the art market. They proved so popular that artisans began to make and sell such heads alone.

 

It is a nice souvenir Buddha head from Thailand.

Exactly.
The Thai themselves wouldn't buy a disembodied Buddha head, they believe it is bad luck.

That whitish stuff in the crevices is not a result of it having buried. The bright, brassy 'wear' on the ears, nose and edge of the crown shows that it is fairly recent, which also means the patina is artificial. That sounds bad, but it is actually a nice piece. People like these in the home, for a sense of tranquility.

This is a small antique Sukhothai Buddha head for comparison, my usual paperclip for size :

 

@Any Jewelry - do you know what casting techniques the Thai artisans used traditionally (for antique examples such as yours)? Did they do lost wax, (as I have assumed), or reusable molds?

 

I have this same thing. Looks to be an exact copy. Picked it up in Cambodia about 15 years ago for less than $5 USD.