Cycladic craftsmen used pigments (black or dark blue, red and rarely green) to indicate the facial features, the hair, the pubic triangle, jewellery as well as vague symbols that may represent body painting or tattooing. Over the centuries, most traces of colour have been lost but faint remnants (‘paint ghosts’) are preserved, from which this intriguing artistic practice can be studied. Of particular interest in this figurine is the head, on which the eyes, eyebrows, mouth and hair appear to have been modelled in relief. Detailed examination and ultraviolet photography have demonstrated that these features were originally covered with colour.