Quote:
Originally Posted by David
They sure look like makara to me. Makara, of course, while vahana, or vehicles for certain deities and guardians of gateways and thresholds are not themselves considered to be deities. 
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There are something like 20 or 30 different forms each with a different animal or part of ...Horse with beaks part Elephant part Peacock. See
https://books.google.com.om/books?id...page&q&f=false for a rundown on the varieties. Whatever the Makara are we can be certain that in the decorative spear shown the weapons are Sri Lankan...beyond that I am unwilling to go except that the incredible co incidence of Sri Lankan Spear and European Partisan spear are almost ridiculously connected...and appear to have virtually the same name!
It is true that the Makara are vehicles for a number of Gods and constructions in Hindu forms. Deity may not be pinpoint accurate precisely, however, I cannot think of a single word other than deity which sums up the word. Mythical creature is perhaps close.