mysterious creature

mahratt · 11th November 2021, 08:40 AM

Many thanks to everyone for their opinions.

ariel · 11th November 2021, 09:25 AM

I am with Sajen,
Looks like something from Area 51.

Kmaddock · 11th November 2021, 02:09 PM

If I use my imagination I can see a man with a V neck cloak with hands clasped in front praying?

no legs like a Casper the ghost character

Regards

Ken
PS a very nice piece indeed.

Interested Party · 11th November 2021, 03:41 PM

Am I being simple or could a level of meaning be the deification of the chilanam itself? The silhouette is an uncanny resemblance.

ariel · 13th November 2021, 03:57 AM

Apparently, this Khanjarli currently belongs to Mahratt. True?

It was first shown in the Russian book “ Mortal Beauty”( State Museum of the Orient, 2015, item # 84).
Museum items were shown separately, so it seems that this Khanjarli used to belong to one of the two private collectors, Messr. Popov and Kormshchikov, who provided items from their collections for the exhibition.

Seems to me the previous owner might possess important information about the mysterious figure.

mariusgmioc · 13th November 2021, 07:38 AM

I am a little late but I have no doubts that it is Matsya, the first avatar of Visnu.

If you examine the carving carefully you may notice it has four arms. Two lowered and two raised above the head. Very similar to the figure from another Khanjarli with the ten avatars of Vishnu.

I attach some illustrations for reference.

ariel · 13th November 2021, 09:25 AM

Marius,
Very convincing.
Excellent detective work!

11th November 2021, 02:09 PM	#3
Kmaddock Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 543	If I use my imagination I can see a man with a V neck cloak with hands clasped in front praying? no legs like a Casper the ghost character Regards Ken PS a very nice piece indeed. Attached Images

13th November 2021, 07:38 AM	#6
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	I am a little late but I have no doubts that it is Matsya, the first avatar of Visnu. If you examine the carving carefully you may notice it has four arms. Two lowered and two raised above the head. Very similar to the figure from another Khanjarli with the ten avatars of Vishnu. I attach some illustrations for reference. Attached Images Last edited by mariusgmioc; 13th November 2021 at 07:49 AM.

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

11th November 2021, 09:25 AM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I am with Sajen, Looks like something from Area 51.

11th November 2021, 03:41 PM	#4
Interested Party Member Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Eastern Sierra Posts: 491	Am I being simple or could a level of meaning be the deification of the chilanam itself? The silhouette is an uncanny resemblance.

13th November 2021, 03:57 AM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Apparently, this Khanjarli currently belongs to Mahratt. True? It was first shown in the Russian book “ Mortal Beauty”( State Museum of the Orient, 2015, item # 84). Museum items were shown separately, so it seems that this Khanjarli used to belong to one of the two private collectors, Messr. Popov and Kormshchikov, who provided items from their collections for the exhibition. Seems to me the previous owner might possess important information about the mysterious figure.

13th November 2021, 09:25 AM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Marius, Very convincing. Excellent detective work!