Sculpture thumbnail 1

Sculpture

Sculpture
3rd century BC-1st century BC (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This diminutive figure is robustly modelled in fired clay in the from of a seated woman, with her two hands supporting her breasts, which are open. This fragmentary object once formed the spout to a terracotta vessel. The openings are so positioned that the liquid would have flowed as if from the figurine’s breasts. One may speculate that a vessel with such a pouring device might have been intended for worship ceremony requiring ritual lustration. The pouring, as if from a woman’s breasts, would evoke the bringing of fertility, nourishment and succour. The figure is seated with her feet crossed and wears a skirt length above her knees; jewellery in the from of a necklace or torque, bracelets and earplugs and a headdress are all modelled in applied clay. This device of breasts as fountains is seen in the late Classical world, and though not common in the medieval Indian world, does appear elsewhere in the later Hindu world, at ritual bathing places in Java and Bali.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleSculpture (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Terracotta
Brief description
Mother goddess spout from a vessel, terracotta, Gandhara, Pakistan, 3rd-1st century BCE
Physical description
Spout in the form of a female figure, the breasts each have holes to act as conduits for water.
Dimensions
  • Height: 11cm
  • Width: 5.8cm
  • Maximum depth: 3.5cm
Object history
Bought from the D.H.Gordon collection, 1951.
Production
Charsadda Shaikhan Dheri, Gandhara, Pakistan
Summary
This diminutive figure is robustly modelled in fired clay in the from of a seated woman, with her two hands supporting her breasts, which are open. This fragmentary object once formed the spout to a terracotta vessel. The openings are so positioned that the liquid would have flowed as if from the figurine’s breasts. One may speculate that a vessel with such a pouring device might have been intended for worship ceremony requiring ritual lustration. The pouring, as if from a woman’s breasts, would evoke the bringing of fertility, nourishment and succour. The figure is seated with her feet crossed and wears a skirt length above her knees; jewellery in the from of a necklace or torque, bracelets and earplugs and a headdress are all modelled in applied clay. This device of breasts as fountains is seen in the late Classical world, and though not common in the medieval Indian world, does appear elsewhere in the later Hindu world, at ritual bathing places in Java and Bali.
Bibliographic reference
Notes attached: "Mother Goddess, Terracotta, Sheikh Yusuf, Gandhara, Pakistan, c.1st century BC-1st century AD" "Mother Goddess, Terracotta, Charsada-Shaikan Dheri, Pakistan, c.2nd century B.C, IS20a-1951 D.H.Gordon: J.I.S.O.A. Vol. XI 1943, Pl.XVI No.3. Guy, John (ed.). ‘L’Escultura en els Temples Indis: L’Art de la Devocio’, Barcelona : Fundacio ‘La Caixa’, 2007. ISBN 9788476649466. p.49, cat. 5.
Collection
Accession number
IS.47-1951

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 13, 2000
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest