https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Thanjavur_ShivaThanjavur Shiva - Revision history2026-10-31T16:14:07ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thanjavur_Shiva&diff=540298&oldid=prevDemetriaMunro: adding a details2026-01-20T03:51:18Z<p>adding a details</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Bronze statue of the Shiva Vishapaharana}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox artefact<br />
| name = Thanjavur Shiva<br />
| image = [[File:Shiva_Vishapaharana_from_Thanjavur_(BM).JPG|300px]]<br />
| image_caption = Statue of Shiva Vishapaharana from Thanjavur on display at the British Museum<br />
| material = Bronze<br />
| size = 58&nbsp;cm High <br />
| weight = <br />
| created = 10th Century AD<br />
| discovered = <br />
| location = [[British Museum]], London<br />
| id = <br />
| registration = 1970,0921.1<br />
}}<br />
The '''Thanjavur Shiva''' is a bronze statue of the [[Shiva]] Vishapaharana that was originally made in the district of [[Thanjavur]] in southern India. Since its purchase in 1970, this well preserved bronze figure has been considered one of the [[British Museum]]'s greatest ancient [[Hindu]] sculptures from the [[Indian Subcontinent|subcontinent]].<ref>[https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=223688&partId=1&place=6623&plaA=6623-3-2&page=1 British Museum Collection]</ref><br />
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==Description==<br />
The bronze sculpture is a half life size representation of the Hindu god Shiva Vishapaharana wearing an elaborate crown. Intact except for a missing arch above the statue, the god is shown with three arms holding an [[axe]], [[deer]] and [[cobra]], with his other arm in the [[Abhayamudra]] position. The quality and detail of the casting is very high, demonstrating the remarkable level of craftsmanship achieved during the [[Chola]] period. The statue would have once been paraded through the temple precinct to mark religious festivities.<br />
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==Provenance==<br />
The Thanjavur Shiva was purchased by the [[British Museum]] from a private collector from New York in 1970. The statue's history prior to its acquisition is less certain but based on iconography and similarity to other statues of the deity, it was almost certainly made in the Thanjavur district in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]] between 940 and 950 AD. A similar statue can be seen in the [[Government Museum, Chennai|Government Museum]], [[Chennai]].<ref>[http://www.chennaimuseum.org/draft/gallery/01/05/053/saiv11.htm Government Museum website]</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
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{{reflist}}<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
*S. Kramrisch, Manifestations of Shiva (Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1981)<br />
*T. R. Blurton, Hindu art (London, The British Museum Press, 1992)<br />
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[[Category:Asian sculptures in the British Museum]]<br />
[[Category:10th century in India]]<br />
[[Category:Shiva in art]]<br />
[[Category:Thanjavur]]<br />
[[Category:Indian sculpture]]<br />
[[Category:Indian artefacts held abroad]]</div>DemetriaMunro