Male Fertility Divinity, Possibly Shiva

Description

This figure combines an unusual set of attributes. He has long dreadlocks over his shoulders, like an ascetic, and he holds a water pot, like a Brahmin or naga (serpent deity). Also, he seems to carry a sword and dagger like a warrior and is ithyphallic, indicating his virility and fecundity. He may best be identified as a local divinity worshipped for purposes of increasing fertility, but he could also be recognized as an early form of the Hindu god Shiva.

Provenance

(Ariane Dandois-Faye, Paris, France, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (?–1986); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1986–)

Male Fertility Divinity, Possibly Shiva

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c. 120–200 CE

Accession Number

1986.71

Medium

terracotta

Dimensions

Overall: 17.3 cm (6 13/16 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund