Asteroid 5981, Kresilas, was discovered on September 24, 1960-Sep-24 by the Palomar-Leiden Survey (CJ van Houten at Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld at Leiden, Netherlands and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Mountain Observatory near Pauma Valley, California). It has a period of 4 years, 216 days,
It was named for the 5th-century BCE Greek sculptor Kresilas (circa 480-410 BCE), who is mainly known for his sculpture of the great Athenian general and statesman Pericles.
The meaning of asteroid Kresilas seems to be: to grow out of (Damien Foor), to hibernate, to attempt to prey on or invite being preyed upon, to check out, to flee, to withdraw.