mysterious creature

mahratt · 9th November 2021, 11:48 AM

Hello! What kind of creature do you think is depicted on the knuckle guard of this Khanjarli?

kai · 9th November 2021, 05:48 PM

Very nice piece, Dmitry!

It's a humanized fat-tailed gecko, I'm sure...

Any chance it might be a composite of several features?

Regards,
Kai

Peter Andeweg · 9th November 2021, 09:15 PM

It could be Matsya, a reincarnation of the goddess Vishnu who saved the world from flood. I would date it early to mid 18th century. Nice piece!

ariel · 10th November 2021, 01:13 AM

Vishnu was a god: male.
Matsya by definition is a "fish". The creature does not look like one.

Richard G · 10th November 2021, 03:17 PM

Scorpion?

Sajen · 10th November 2021, 03:56 PM

Ask Erich von Däniken!

Ian · 11th November 2021, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

Vishnu was a god: male.
Matsya by definition is a "fish". The creature does not look like one.

Vishnu does have a (transgender?) female avatar, Mohini, who is a seductress. He/she seduces Shiva in an attempt to make the latter more worldly. They may have had a son, Ayyappa. All this is very confusing because Mohini did not have a uterus and may have given birth from her thigh. Long story short, there are representations of Vishnu/Mohini that are female.

mahratt · 11th November 2021, 08:40 AM

Many thanks to everyone for their opinions.

9th November 2021, 11:48 AM	#1
mahratt Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 1,042	mysterious creature Hello! What kind of creature do you think is depicted on the knuckle guard of this Khanjarli? Attached Images

9th November 2021, 05:48 PM	#2
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Very nice piece, Dmitry! It's a humanized fat-tailed gecko, I'm sure... Any chance it might be a composite of several features? Regards, Kai

9th November 2021, 09:15 PM	#3
Peter Andeweg Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands Posts: 71	It could be Matsya, a reincarnation of the goddess Vishnu who saved the world from flood. I would date it early to mid 18th century. Nice piece!

10th November 2021, 01:13 AM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Vishnu was a god: male. Matsya by definition is a "fish". The creature does not look like one.

10th November 2021, 03:17 PM	#5
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 405	Scorpion?

10th November 2021, 03:56 PM	#6
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,761	Ask Erich von Däniken!

11th November 2021, 08:40 AM	#8
mahratt Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 1,042	Many thanks to everyone for their opinions.