Fragment of a Makara Capital

The animal is damaged, but was originally endowed with only two front legs. The snout is broken; the open mouth, filled with saw teeth, is bordered by ridged lips. The eyes are bulging and have thick curling eyebrows. The finlike ears are adorned with pendants, each consisting of four strands of beads held together by a rectangular plaque. The flat modeling of the curled tail, the top and side surfaces of which meet almost at right angles, are strongly reminiscent of Bharhut sculpture of the 2nd century B.C. The makara probably crowned a votive column (dhvaja stambha) before a temple or site sacred to Pradyumna, one of the Pancavrsnis. An image of the same period has also been discovered at Besnagar, ancient Vidisa. The style of sculpture is Shunga. An Indian artist manufactured it by chisiling and carving.