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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Russia
Posts: 1,042
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Hello! What kind of creature do you think is depicted on the knuckle guard of this Khanjarli?
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,252
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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 |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands
Posts: 71
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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!
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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Vishnu was a god: male.
Matsya by definition is a "fish". The creature does not look like one. |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 403
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Scorpion?
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,726
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Ask Erich von Däniken!
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#7 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,162
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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.
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#8 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Russia
Posts: 1,042
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Many thanks to everyone for their opinions.
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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I am with Sajen,
Looks like something from Area 51. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Ireland
Posts: 539
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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. |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Eastern Sierra
Posts: 431
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Am I being simple or could a level of meaning be the deification of the chilanam itself? The silhouette is an uncanny resemblance.
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#12 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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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. |
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#13 |
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,903
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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. Last edited by mariusgmioc; 13th November 2021 at 07:49 AM. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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Marius,
Very convincing. Excellent detective work! |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,726
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Hi Marius,
Great identification! ![]() Regards, Detlef |
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#16 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Russia
Posts: 1,042
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Thank you very much, Marius!
A very detailed and undoubtedly correct explanation. |
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