Bust of a Shaiva Figure with Shiva Lingam, Nandi, and Serpent Motif

This sculptural head presents an extraordinary visual synthesis of Shaiva iconography. Atop the figure’s head is a prominently carved Shiva Lingam, the abstract representation of Lord Shiva as cosmic pillar and source of creation. Flanking the lingam symmetrically are two crouching Nandi bulls, Shiva’s sacred vahana, rendered with attentiveness to proportion and reverence. Surrounding the lingam is a stylized coiled band—possibly an urdhva-retas band-that once supported the multi-headed serpent hood, suggestive of Shesha or Vasuki, the cosmic serpents associated with protection and divine awakening. The serene face exhibits classic South Indian sculptural traits: elongated eyes, arched brows, softly closed lips, and finely modeled cheeks. The ears display prominent makara-kundalas (fish or dragon-shaped earrings), a common element in Shaiva iconography. The back reveals remnants of the serpent's scaled body, confirming the earlier presence of a naga canopy rising protectively over the lingam. This head may have belonged to a full-bodied image of Jogi Shiva or a Shaiva guardian deity and likely adorned a temple sanctum or was venerated in a ritual context. It is a rare convergence of anthropomorphic and aniconic symbolism, embodying Shiva’s dual nature—as form and formless