sadighgallery: Standing Three-Headed Shiva - South Asia, India, Kashmir, Karakota period, c. 7t
sadighgallery: Standing Three-Headed Shiva - South Asia, India, Kashmir, Karakota period, c. 7th-9th Centuries Made from dark gray Chlorite, Numerous attributes identify this crowned figure as the great Hindu god Shiva: the vertical third eye, linked snakes across the chest, tiger skin draped across the thigh, and an erect phallus, symbol of both potency and control. The three heads express different aspects of this manifold deity. A smiling female, a benign male, and a violent male perhaps correspond to Shiva’s powers as creator, protector, and destroyer. The now missing arms would have held additional emblems to communicate the god’s cosmic powers. -- source link