{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O66522"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O66522/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV2586/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV2586/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AV2586","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD0432","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O66522/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O66522","accessionNumber":"IS.17-1986","objectType":"Figure group","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The subject of this sculpture is the goddess Yamuna, the personification of the Jamna, one of the great rivers of northern India. She represents the absorption of early Indian nature-spirit deities into the Hindu religious system.\r\n \r\nAs a water deity Yamuna is represented standing on a creature of the waters, a tortoise (‘kurma’). An attendant at her feet carries her principal attribute, the water jar (‘kamandalu’), symbolic of her role as bringer of fertility. She is accompanied by two female attendants, one of whom reaches up to support the staff of a parasol (now lost). \r\n\r\nSculptural representations of river goddesses appear from the 2nd century BCE. By the 6th century Yamuna, together with Ganga and Sarawati, who make up the three principal river goddesses, appear in a rock-cut shrine at Ellora. Ganga and Yamuna became an established part of Hindu temple design schemes, appearing as door-jamb decorations flanking temple entrances. They embody the powers to cleanse and purify, to ‘wash away sins’, and their presence at the threshold of a temple symbolises these roles. They also mark the transition from the mundane to the celestial world evoked by the temple.","physicalDescription":"Sandstone relief panel showing five figures, including the river goddess Yamuna. As an aquatic deity Yamuna is represented standing on a creature of the waters, a tortoise. Yamuna is seen with two female attendants, one of whom reaches up to support the staff of a parasol (now lost).  Another attendant at her feet carries her principal attribute, the water jar.To the left stands a bearded figure, probably that of Surya, the father of Yamuna, dressed in <i>udicyavesha</i>, his characteristic \"Northerner's dress\" of cap, trousers and high boots. Garland-bearing ducks hover above.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"sandstone","id":"AAT11376"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Buff sandstone","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AV2586","2006AD0432"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES404218"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Madhya Pradesh","id":"x29831"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 900","earliest":"0895-01-01","latest":"0904-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"51.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"33.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"10","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from Eskenazi Arte Orientale, Milano for £15,000\r\n","historicalContext":"This relief panel of four larger figures and one smaller figure includes the River Goddess Yamuna and expresses the richness of form and decoration in the early medieval period. As an acquatic deity Yamuna is represented standing on a creature of the waters, a tortoise (<i>kurma</i>) and an attendant at her feet carries her principal attribute, the water jar (<i>kamandalu</i>), symbolic of her role as bringer of fertility.Yamuna is seen with two female attendants, one of whom reaches up to support the staff of a parasol  (now lost).  To the left stands a bearded figure, probably that of Surya, the father of Yamuna, dressed in <i>udicyavesha</i>, his characteristic \"Northerner's dress\" of cap, trousers and high boots. Garland-bearing ducks hover above.Yamuna is the personification of one of the great rivers of northern India, the Yamuna, representing the absorption of early Indian nature-spirit deities into the Hindu religious system.  Sculptural representations of river goddesses appear from the 2nd century  B.C. and by the Gupta end, 3rd-4th century A.D., are an established part of Hindu temple design schemes. Yamuna usually appears with her counterpart, the river goddess Ganga, as door jamb decorations flanking temple entrances.","briefDescription":"Sandstone relief showing the river goddess Yamuna with attendants and a bearded figure to the left, Madhya Pradesh, India, ca. 900","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John: 'Indian Temple Sculpture', London, V & A Publication, 2007, p.168, pl.190.\r\nISBN 9781851775095.\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"L'escultura en el temples indis : l'art de la devoció : exposició organitzada per la Fundació \"La Caixa\" i el Victoria & Albert Museum, Londres. [Barcelona: Obra social, Fundació \"la Caixa\", c2007 Number: 9788476649466","id":"AUTH339669"},"details":"p.82, Cat.42","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"AAT73727"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"16. Architectural relief with the River Goddess Yamuna\r\nwith Her Father the Sun God Surya and Attendants\r\nAbout 900\r\nPratihara period\r\nSandstone\r\nCentral India (Madhya Pradesh)\r\nMuseum no. IS.17-1986","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.17-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"17","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LU7879"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-03","recordCreationDate":"2002-07-04","availableToBook":false}}