Ancient Sculptures and Deities

Artifacts showcasing ancient sculptures of deities from various cultures, made of stone and wood, displaying intricate details and historical significance.

Carved figure at Copan Ruins, Maya Site of Copan, UNESCO World Heritage site, Honduras

Minnakht on his knees praying in pyramid window

Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion late 12th century Cambodia or Thailand Representing the great Khmer sculptural tradition, this statue merges divine power with royal likeness. While the body depicts a Buddhist savior, the face is thought to be a portrait of the Khmer ruler of twelfth-century Cambodia, Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181-1219). His closed eyes and serene smile suggest the inner calm and supreme bliss that accompany perfect enlightenment. Hewn from a single large block, the enormous figure was one of several that adorned a richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor.. Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion. Cambodia or Thailand. late 12th century. Stone. Angkor period. Sculpture

King of Kabah' Mayan sculpture from Yucatan in Mexico 600-900 AD

Egyptian goddess, wearing on her head a sun disk between the horns of a cow, nurses her son, the infant Horus.

Head from an image of Vishnu or a deified king, early 9th century, 9 1/2 in. (24.13 cm), Grey sandstone, Cambodia, Angkor style, style of Kon Ker, This powerfully carved head reflects the concept of the God-King (Deva-Raja), a system of statecraft that originated in India but was taken to new heights during the Khmer Empire (802-1437 CE). Despite being consecrated under the protection of the Hindu deity Shiva, the Khmer identified most closely with Vishnu, preserver of universal order. In fact, the deity often took on the likeness of individual Khmer rulers. In a fragment such as this, which is missing bodily attributes such as multiple arms, it is difficult to distinguish between divine human and god. In keeping with the periods style, crisply detailed hair frames a face of steely perfection, with a detached yet eternal smile and an inner benevolence radiating from faintly chiseled eyes.

Head of a Monk 7th century China. Head of a Monk 61674

The Zen Priest Bukan. Attributed to Unjudō Shumemaru (Japan, active before 1782). Japan, 18th century. Costumes; Accessories. Boxwood

Monk. Burma (Myanmar), Pagan, 12th century or later. Sculpture. Kaolin ()

Osiris god, Gregorian Egyptian Museumn Musei Vaticani, State of the Vatican City, Roma, Lazio, Italia

Ekamukha linga of Lord Shiva at Udayagiri; India, 4th century A.D.

Stone Huaxtec female deity

Waist Pendant: Equestrain 16th-19th century Edo peoples At its origins, the centralized city-state of Benin was founded by Edo-speaking peoples. The accounts by official court historians and descriptions provided by visitors evoke a vibrant cultural center continually redefined by its leadership through shifting internal and external power dynamics. According to oral tradition, circa 1300, Edo chiefs are reputed to have reached out to the leader of neighboring Ife, Oranmiyan, to establish a new divinely sanctioned royal dynasty. Since then, the investiture of Benins rulers to the title of obas has conferred upon them at once a role of chief priest officiating in important religious ceremonies and presiding over an elaborate structure of palace officials. During the fifteenth century reign of Oba Ewuare, Benins armies were formed and the fortification of its capital with a massive wall undertaken. In parallel, delegations of Portuguese traders assiduously sought to secure exclusive co

Seated Buddha China. Seated Buddha. China. Gilt bronze. Northern Wei dynasty (386-534). Sculpture

Tonatiuh The Sun God. Aztec (left), with the Water Goddess, Chalchiuhtlicue volcanic stone carved, circa 1350-1521 Mexico

post-classical, Mayan, Anthropomorphic (ceramic) incense burner alluding to the four cardinal points and the centre of the cosmos. Mayapan, Yucatan, Mexico. 1250-1550 AD

Masked Figure Pendant 1st-7th century Calima (Yotoco). Masked Figure Pendant 312490

Granite: relief on the back wall of the Seokguram Grotto (Cave Temple) in Kyeongju, South Korea. Avalokitesvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. This bodhisattva is variably depicted, described and portrayed in different cultures as either male or female. From the time of Silla Dynasty (57 BCE - 935 AD). he Seokguram grotto is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage and as the Korean National Treasure number 24. The Seokguram Grotto was initiated in 751 by King Kyeongdeok of Silla and completed by his son in 774 by King Hyegong of Silla. The Grotto was built to illustrate the moment when Sakyamuni achieved the Enlightenment. Sculpture from the time of Unified Silla (668 - 935)

Sleeping Vishnu. Cambodia, 11th-13th century, sandstone. This head originally formed part of a complete figure of Vishnu. The Hindu god would have been represented reclining on his side, resting his head on his hand. The damage behind his right ear marks the place where the hand would have been. According to Hindu belief, creation is cyclical. Before each new creation cycle, Vishnu sleeps and dreams of the coming regeneration.

Buddha Preaching the Dharma (Buddhist Law) 18th century Sri Lanka (Kandy district) The Buddha raises his right hand in vitarka mudra, the gesture of expounding his teachings.. Buddha Preaching the Dharma (Buddhist Law). Sri Lanka (Kandy district). 18th century. Ivory. Kandyan period (1480-1815). Sculpture

Thailand, Ayutthaya. Phra Mongkonbophit. Ancient stone Buddha head covered in tiny squares of gold leaf. UNESCO

Head of a Bodhisattva ca. first half of the 8th century Thailand (Phetchabun Province). Head of a Bodhisattva 38261

Sacred animal mummy in the form typical of a wrapped ibis, decorated with a figure of Duamutef ca. 400 B.C.-100 A.D. Late Period-Roman Period Animal cults The Egyptians considered certain individual animals to be living manifestations of a god, such as, since earliest times, the Apis bull. Those individuals were duly mummifed when they died and buried for eternal life, then replaced by another single living manifestation. During the first millennium BC, many multiples of animals associated with certain gods were specially raised in temple precincts as simultaneous avatars of that god and then mummified in large contingents and deposited in catacombs for eternal life. The ancient perception of these multiples, the evolution of the practice in this direction, and variations within the practice are not easily accessible to us. But the hundreds of thousands of often elaborately prepared animal mummies found in catacombs and other locales testify to its ancient resonance. Animal mummies Res

Copy of a head of Buddha Shakyamuni, Anonymous, c. 1925 - c. 1970 Modern copy of a fragment (head) of Buddha Shakyamuni in the National Museum, Phnom Penh Cambodia sandstone Modern copy of a fragment (head) of Buddha Shakyamuni in the National Museum, Phnom Penh Cambodia sandstone

Ptah 664-30 B.C. Late Period-Ptolemaic Period This statuette depicts Ptah, the chief god of Egypt's capital city Memphis and master craftsman of the gods. The facial features are somewhat unbalanced, particularly the wide-set and unevenly carved eyes; nonetheless Ptah is easy to identify by his tight-fitting cap, here with a streamer attached at the back, his straight beard (different from the usual curved divine beard on other gods), and enveloping mummiform garment. The garment has a shallow stiff upper edge along the back of the neck, a feature that occurs with some regularity also on Osiris statuettes, but its meaning is unclear. Commonly Ptah holds a scepter that combines the symbols for life (ankh), dominion (was), and stability (djed), but here he holds only the was scepter, hearkening back to earlier representations of the god. Ptah was a benevolent and approachable god, characteristics that may have inspired his devotees to dedicate numerous representations of him in the Late

Standing Monk 3rd century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara). Standing Monk 39224

mutter gottes von salvador mother of god of salvador, 12th century, polychrome wood, hermitage of sant salvado, parish of cogolla, la garrotxa, Girona art museum, Girona, Catalonia, Spain Copyright: xZoonar.com/TOLOxBALAGUERx 22282884

Mayan, ceramic figure, representing a male Shaman or priest. From Jaina, Campeche, Mexico 600-900 AD

Aztec Cihuateotl. The Aztecs believed that the sun was accompanied on its daily passage from east to west by the spirits of warriors who had lost their lives on the battlefields and by those of women who had died during childbirth.

Shrine Figure (Ikenga), possibly early 1900s. Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Igbo carver. Wood, organic materials, and raffia; overall: 74.5 x 18 x 20 cm (29 5/16 x 7 1/16 x 7 7/8 in.). This seated figure of a man holding a cutlass and an inverted human skull is a cult object called ikenga, associated with achievement and success. Standing at the center of a mans personal shrine, the sculpture receives prayers and sacrifices in return for the ancestors guidance. An elaborate headdress comprising two horn-like extensions reinforces the cults preoccupation with masculinity, while facial incisions known as ichi refer to membership in one of many male associations.

Hooded Priest, c. 500 BCE - 500 CE, 11-7/8 x 8-1/4 x 7-15/16 in. (30.2 x 21.0 x 20.2 cm), Terra cotta, Nigeria, 6th century BCE - 6th century CE

Thailand. Royal Park Ratchaphruek. Painted demon statue.

Youthful Bodhisattva China. Youthful Bodhisattva 53923

Christ crucified

Fragment of a Standing Bodhisattva Indonesia (Kalimantan) ca. 8th century View more. Fragment of a Standing Bodhisattva. Indonesia (Kalimantan). ca. 8th century. Bronze. Sculpture

Gold statuette of Zeus Serapis 2nd century A.D. Roman Serapis was essentially a construct of the Ptolemaic Greek rulers of Egypt, a conflation of the local gods Osiris and Apis. Although gradually subsumed into the all-pervading cult of Isis, Serapis was worshipped throughout the Roman world in the guise of Zeus, ruler of the heavens, or that of Hades, god of the Underworld. This small figure wears the Egyptian modius (grain measure) headdress and carries a cornucopia (horn of plenty) to symbolize a plentiful food supply.. Gold statuette of Zeus Serapis. Roman. 2nd century A.D.. Gold. Mid-Imperial. Gold and Silver

Female Shinto Deity. Anonymous. Japan, 13th century. Sculpture. Wood with traces of pigment

Figure of a demon (Yaksa) Chinese Buddhist mythology. Dunhuang Grotto ant Gansu. Tang Dynasty, (618-907) Wood and paint

Wooden female figure used for divination rituals. West African; Turka tribe 20th century

Basalt stupas depicting the death of the Buddha from Eastern India. Dated 10th Century

Flying Celestial Figure 6th-7th century China (Xinjiang Autonomous Region) These winged celestial beings show remarkable connections to the Western classical tradition. From comparable examples we know that these male figures were represented as flying down from the heavens to attend a Buddhist divinity.. Flying Celestial Figure 39942

Reliquary Cross with Christ Crucified and the Virgin and Child. Culture: Byzantine. Dimensions: Overall: 3 3/4 x 1 5/8 x 1/2 in. (9.5 x 4.1 x 1.2 cm). Date: 9th-12th century.This cross represents a more refined example of the reliquary crosses common during the middle Byzantine period. The image of the crucified Christ is similar to the one on the reverse of the cross reliquary lid in this case. He wears a colobium (sleeveless or short-sleeve tunic) with two clavi (bands), and his feet are supported by a large footrest (suppedaneum), while his death can be inferred from the slight angle of his head to the left. On the reverse is the Virgin. In front of her body is a medallion with the Christ Child, an image type that stresses Christ's divinity. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Bodhisattva Manjushri with Attendants. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 23 in. (58.4 cm); W. 24 1/4 in. (61.6 cm); D. 8 in. (20.3 cm). Date: 11th century.Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, is identified by the text (Perfection of Wisdom) that he holds in his left hand and by the lion he rides. The lion has a fringed saddlecloth and wears a jeweled harness. He is led by a standing figure whose trousers, bare chest and curly hair suggest Central Asian origins. Two small attendants stand on clouds to the upper right and left of the composition. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Uszebti Semen-Ptah-Psamtyka. unknown, author

Crucifix -

The Mother Goddess Men Brajut (Hariti) 14th-15th century Indonesia (East Java, Trowulan) The Hindu mother goddess Hariti, protector of children, is shown here in her Javanese guise as Men Brajut. She is seated with a child standing between her legs and originally held an infant at her shoulder. Hariti is often identified as the wife of Kuvera, the nature deity (yaksha) who presides over earthly riches. Open at the top to allow a wooden post to pass through, the terracotta figure served as an ornament on the base of a pillar, probably of an open pavilion (mendopo). Many such sites have been identified at Trowulen, the capital of the Majapahit kingdom of East Java.. The Mother Goddess Men Brajut (Hariti). Indonesia (East Java, Trowulan). 14th-15th century. Terracotta. Majapahit period (1296-1520). Sculpture

Detail of the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (Saint Marks Basilica). A Cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. Byzantine and Gothic Architectural style. Constructed in 1650. Venice, Italy 2013

Stone carved bas relief of a hermit in prayer at Angkor Wat, built in the 11th century by Suryavarman the 2nd, - Cambodia

Fragment: Head of Buddhist Image 8th century Japan. Fragment: Head of Buddhist Image 49126

Suit of Japanese armour, mid 16th century. Artist: Unknown

Queen Mother Head, Benin, 16th c.

Amulet depicting Isis, Horus, and Nephthys 664-30 B.C. Late Period-Ptolemaic Period The three deities depicted in this triad amulet are some of the main protagonists in the Osiride myth that tells the murder and revival of the god Osiris and the birth and triumphal avenge of his son Horus. According to this myth the sister goddesses Isis and Nepthys cared for the body of Osiris and later they protected his son Horus as a young child. Horus is in the center of the group here, flanked by his mother Isis on his right and his aunt Nephthys on his left. Isis is identified by the stepped throne hieroglyph on her head and likewise Nephthys wears the two hieroglyphic components of her name as a headdress. The goddesses are holding the hands of Horus, who is shown slightly larger than them, but his sidelock and nudity identify him as a child. The intimate gesture of holding Horus hands not only alludes to his young age, but it also symbolizes the goddesses care and protection for him. This am

Head of Buddha image, contemporary replica of a Lopburi style image. Private collection,Thailand.

Stone Carved Coptic Cross 7th Century. Cross used by Coptic Christians.

Typical indonesian wooden art from Bali

Mayan deity statue from Mexico isolated on white background

Rune stone, granite,1100-1150, Andersta, Uppland, Sweden. The runic inscription states that 'Lidsmod had this stone carved in the memory of Julbjorn (his) father'.

Coffin of Denytenamun, Priest of Amun. The Coffin depicts the sun-god on solar-barque protecting the breast with Osiris, flanked by Isis and Nephthys. Below, a vertical register of hieroglyphs runs down the centre of the body and is flanked by six vignettes: the cow of Hathor and the bull of Ptah-Sokar-Osiris standing before the western mountains and the tomb of the deceased, the four Sons of Horus, with jackals beneath, the foot section is damaged in places; the base - is decorated with represe

Hand and forearm Buddha image. Right hand and forearm of a Buddha; broken off at the elbow joint.

Mayan deity statue from Mexico isolated on white background

Crucifix from St. Georg. Cologne, last third of the 11th century. Willow. Museum Schnu_tgen. Cologne, Germany.

Mayan pendant decoration, depicting a man covered in feathers. It represents either the incarnation of a soldier or a bird priest, performing a ritual. 250-900 AD Mexico or Guatemala

Head of Buddha or Bodhisattva 12th-13th century Cambodia. Head of Buddha or Bodhisattva 38455

'Ritual'. Russia, Buryatia, 2001. Dimensions: height: 30,0 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg. Author: Dashi. Namdakov.

Rod Puppet (Wayang Golek) of a Dancer(Gambyong). Artist: Ki Embal Cermomigar

Gothic sculpture of an bishop, from San Pedro de la Rua, Estella, Museum of Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra,Spain.

18th dynasty painted wooden figure of a servant carrying water; circa 1370 BC (louver museum)

Mount, St. Christopher and Christ Child 15th century German or South Netherlandish. Mount, St. Christopher and Christ Child 468486

Coffin and Mummy of Paankhenamun 945 BCE-715 BCE Thebes. Mummification is the ancient Egyptian funerary practice of drying out a corpse for preservation. Anointed with oils and spices and protected with amulets, this linen-wrapped body was placed in a series of nesting coffins; the vividly painted cartonnage was the innermost shell. Across the surface of the mummy case, inscriptions and painted scenes and symbols identify the deceasedó Paankhenamun (The One Who Lives for Amun)óand proclaim his wish to live well in the afterlife. Another inscription records that he was the doorkeeper of the temple of Amun. The names and titles on the coffin suggest that he lived at Thebes. The central scene depicts the presentation of the deceased by the falcon-headed deity Horus to Osiris, the ruler of eternity (shown, as was common, as a mummy). Other divinities help the deceased in his journey to the afterlife. Despite the youthful features of the gilt face, X-rays reveal that Paankhenamun was middle

Suit of Japanese armour. Antlers from deer are mounted on the helmet. Mid 16th century

The Mogao Caves, or Mogao Grottoes (Chinese: mògāo kū, also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas and Dunhuang Caves) form a system of 492 temples 25 km (15.5 miles) southeast of the center of Dunhuang, an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road, in Gansu province, China. The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years. The first caves were dug out in 366 CE as places of Buddhist meditation and worship. The Mogao Caves are the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and, along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, are one of the three famous ancient sculptural sites of China. The caves also have celebrated wall paintings.

Detail from the Lintel of Ganesha and the eight Dikpalas, Eastern India, 1000-1100 AD Carved basalt. Dikpalas guard the temple threshold, standing between the sacred and the profane

Male Deity, probably Shiva mid-11th century Cambodia This four-armed male deity has a high chignon of coiled dreadlocks (jatamukuta) secured with a jeweled band, a moustache, and a bearded chin. He wears a pleated waist-skirt (sampot), a portion of which is drawn between the thighs and knotted behind. Five pleats are formed by the folding of the garment in front, and a jeweled belt sash helps to secure it. This figure likely formed the centerpieceof a triad in a chapel of an unidentified temple in the vicinity of Angkor Thom. Its style relates to sculptures recorded from the Baphuon temple, a monumental step-pyramid dedicated to Shiva, built as the state temple by King Udayadityavarman II (r. 1050-66).. Male Deity, probably Shiva 38301

The 1924 caption reads: Representation of a Blood-letting ceremony from British Museum. This sculptured panel was originally carved on the under side of a door lintel in one of the temples of the great Maya city of Yaxchilan, in southern Mexico, A priest with a ceremonial staff is show at left, supervising a blood-letting ceremony, possibly by a neophyte, who is kneeling at the right. Note the gorgeous details of the priests costume. The neophyte, scarcely less handsomely garbed, is engaged in drawing blood from himself by passing through a slit in his tongue a long piece of rope with sharp

Figure of a demon (Yaksa) Chinese Buddhist mythology. Dunhuang Grotto ant Gansu. Tang Dynasty, (618-907) Wood and paint

Appliqué depicting the Sun God Usil. Unknown

Africa, Gabon, Bwiti Ceremonies, Detail Of The Decorated Pillar Of A Temple

Head of a Bodhisattva China. Head of a Bodhisattva 45033

Silver idol of god Shiva standing with trishul Copyright: xRajeshxSharma/DinodiaxPhotox

Roman 15th Century, The Redeemer, second half 15th century The Redeemer

Benin ivory mask, representing Queen Idia, the mother of Esigie, the Oba of Benin who ruled from 1504 to 1550. She played a very significant role in the rise and reign of her son. She has been described as a great warrior. Benin, (Nigeria) 16th century

Indonesia, Bali, Statue of an Indonesian dancer.

The Guardian King Bishamonten 12th century Japan Bishamonten (Sanskrit: Vaishravana), the Guardian King of the North, is one of the four protectors of the cardinal directions, who, together with eight other fearsome kings, comprise the Twelve Devas (Jūniten) of Esoteric Buddhism. Eight of them protect the eight directions, and the remaining four symbolize heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon. Bishamonten is considered the most powerful of the Guardian Kings, as his directionNorthis associated with danger.. The Guardian King Bishamonten 49115

Cross Fragment with Saint John the Theologian 11th century Byzantine A depiction of Saint John the Theologian decorates the face of the surviving upper arm of a large cross. An elegant, small cross is inscribed in a medallion on the reverse. Such crosses would have been carried in processions or installed on an altar, possibly one dedicated to the saint.. Cross Fragment with Saint John the Theologian 468585

10th Century sculpture of the Hindu God Brahma. Sandstone from Cambodia, Wat Baset (temple)

Figure of the Mother of God , embroidered unknown

Head reliquary, Aachen around 1170, contains relics of St Candidus or Vitalis

Ancient Egyptian Statue of a nobleman. Old Kingdom, 6th Dynasty (2323-2150 BC)

Yoruba incised ceramic ritual pot for the goddess Oshun. Nigeria, 1970. Oshun (known as Ochun or Oxum in Latin America) also spelled Osun, is an orisha, a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of God in the Ifa and Yoruba religions. She is one of the most popular and venerated orishas. Oshun is the deity of the river and fresh water, luxury and pleasure, sexuality and fertility, and beauty and love

anthropomorphic mummy coffin anthropomorphic mummy coffin, painting detail, Gregorian Egyptian Museumn Musei Vaticani, State of the Vatican City, Roma, Lazio, Italia Copyright: xZoonar.com/BartomeuxBalaguerxRotgerx 21377702

Replica of idol of shree chintamani of theur Pune Maharashtra India 2010 Copyright: xNitinxKelvalkar/DinodiaxPhotox

Funerary Guardian Figure and Shrine. A Ritual Deposit. The priests and family who built a large metsaba tomb for the overseer Imhotep, east of the pyramid of King Senwosret 1 also deposited various religiously significant objects in the area. In 1914 Museum excavators discovered two wooden figures and a shrine in a small chamber.

Buddha's footprints. Relief with the Buddhapada. Amaravati (southeast India). 1st century BC. stone. Sole of Buddha's feet. The circles (wheels of law) a sign spiritual doctrine of Buddha.

Nephthys, one of the four goddesses who protect coffins.

Head of Oni, copper, Ife, 12-15th cent. Nigeria

statuette depicting Sopdu a god of the sky, found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen. Sopdu was depicted as a falcon sitting on a religious standard, often with a two-feathered crown on his head and a flail over his shoulder.

Male figure, early 20th century, 52 1/4 x 4 3/4 in. (132.7 x 12.1 cm), Wood, Gabon, 20th century, These figurative pillars of a chapel, used by followers of the Gabonese Bwiti religion, are painted with three highly symbolic colors: red refers to blood, birth, and life; white to sperm, breath, and spirit; and black to death and misfortune. The chapel is a physical expression of oppositions: left and right, high and low, male and female. The extension above the male is phallic while the lozenge shape above the female represents the feminine sex and the skiff that carries the soul of the deceased to the Otherworld.

Sheila-na-gig, display of genitalia to deter witches. 12th cent. Kilpeck Church, Herefs.

Hand of the Buddha statue at Wat Benchamabophit (also known as the Marble Temple), Bangkok, Thailand

Room with Buddha statues and someone who edit the floor; Exhibition Borobudur: art and religion in the old Java. .

Relief: Three characters in prayer, unknown provenance (Cat 192) Anonymous. Relief: Three characters in prayer, unknown provenance (Cat 192). Pierre.

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