Posted on: 19 August 2011

Anthropomorph, ca. 1500 B.C.
India, Uttar Pradesh
Copper
8 1/4 x 11 9/16 in. (21 x 29.3 cm)

In India, find spots for ancient copper objects are located primarily in the basin of the Ganges River in modern-day Uttar Pradesh. The hoards, which contained celts, harpoons, rings, and figural sculptures loosely identified as anthropomorphs, date to a period of Indian history about which little is known. Although it is now generally assumed that these copper objects were made by indigenous people living in the area, the function and meaning of the objects remain unclear.
Made from molds and then embellished with hammering, anthropomorphs are characterized by semicircular heads resting directly upon the shoulders, volutelike arms held akimbo, and pointed open legs. Alternatively identified as male or female, these figures may have been emblems of fertility used in magical, religious, or political practices.

Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York


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thnx for info...very interesting

i love the anthromorph

Objects like the one above to me look very extra terrestrial.

Ah...memories of Erich Von Daniken !! : )

my bro was obssessed wth erich von daniken when he was a kid.....n yeah these do look like things mr. daniken wud've hve written a treatise on!

One source: Bisauli, Budaun Dt., UP. 2 examples are in the BharatKalaBhavan, Varanasi

Used in Logo of Intach

Intach logo is inspired from Shahbad in UP

Patna museum has ( had?) a good collection. A couple of very interesting monographs also published by it on the subject. Another point to ponder is that till at least a couple of decades ago ( when I was a child in patna) clay toys made for children reflected these same shapes! I have played with many such clay toys. I am sure they are still around in Bihar.