Shield from India

ariel · 7th December 2022, 06:11 PM

The durbars were even more than just bazaars. Rajas were preparing for them and acquired impressive retinues armed with impressive weapons ( mostly newly made) , wearing impressive garb etc. This was something resembling Oscars ceremony in which all attendees did their best to impress everybody on the " Red Carpet". We often see enormous unwieldable teghas with bronze/brass decorations from those celebratory gatherings. Bragging parties, in short.
The owner of this shield wanted to show his military might. Other similar shields had full pantheons of divine personalities.

mahratt · 7th December 2022, 08:04 PM

Many thanks to everyone for opinions!

Gustav · 7th December 2022, 08:40 PM

As Interested Party noted, the mounts (vehicles) - Vahana - are very helpful for indentification of Indian deities:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vahana

Interested Party · 8th December 2022, 02:52 PM

At my first glance I though, assumed, that the circles being held were Chakras. Once I took a better look, I could see only the top right figure held a chakra, the rest held bucklers, targets. It is interesting a shield with a theme of shields. Definitely a different metaphysical meaning.

I haven't had time to dive into the iconography yet but, is the center panel the heavenly architect, Vishvakarma? I thought Brahma at first because the central figure is unarmed but there is no swan. The chariot made me think of Vishvakarma. To make it more confusing is that a lotus emerging from the figure's navel?

Gustav · 8th December 2022, 03:20 PM

The figure in central panel is Surya, the sun deity. He sits in a carriage drawn by seven horses (seven meters of Sanskrit prosody, days in a week, seven colours) and holds two lotus blossoms. He is flanked by two goddesses of dawn (or his two wifes), shooting arrows.

Interested Party · 8th December 2022, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gustav

The figure in central panel is Surya, the sun deity. He sits in a carriage drawn by seven horses (seven meters of Sanskrit prosody, days in a week, seven colours) and holds two lotus blossoms. He is flanked by two goddesses of dawn (or his two wifes), shooting arrows.

Thanks Gustav! Now I see it. And around the icon is a circle made of three petaled flowers alternated with leaves that insinuate sunrays, a chakra, mandala, and a wheel of death and rebirth. Or it could be just a border separating elements. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar

7th December 2022, 06:11 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The durbars were even more than just bazaars. Rajas were preparing for them and acquired impressive retinues armed with impressive weapons ( mostly newly made) , wearing impressive garb etc. This was something resembling Oscars ceremony in which all attendees did their best to impress everybody on the " Red Carpet". We often see enormous unwieldable teghas with bronze/brass decorations from those celebratory gatherings. Bragging parties, in short. The owner of this shield wanted to show his military might. Other similar shields had full pantheons of divine personalities.

7th December 2022, 08:04 PM	#2
mahratt Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 1,042	Many thanks to everyone for opinions!

7th December 2022, 08:40 PM	#3
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,295	As Interested Party noted, the mounts (vehicles) - Vahana - are very helpful for indentification of Indian deities: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vahana

8th December 2022, 02:52 PM	#4
Interested Party Member Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Eastern Sierra Posts: 510	At my first glance I though, assumed, that the circles being held were Chakras. Once I took a better look, I could see only the top right figure held a chakra, the rest held bucklers, targets. It is interesting a shield with a theme of shields. Definitely a different metaphysical meaning. I haven't had time to dive into the iconography yet but, is the center panel the heavenly architect, Vishvakarma? I thought Brahma at first because the central figure is unarmed but there is no swan. The chariot made me think of Vishvakarma. To make it more confusing is that a lotus emerging from the figure's navel?

8th December 2022, 03:20 PM	#5
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,295	The figure in central panel is Surya, the sun deity. He sits in a carriage drawn by seven horses (seven meters of Sanskrit prosody, days in a week, seven colours) and holds two lotus blossoms. He is flanked by two goddesses of dawn (or his two wifes), shooting arrows.