National treasure: Why does the Shiva statue have two colors?

The Shiva statue, which was recognized as a national treasure (12th batch) on January 18, 2024, is a rare standing statue of a human deity found throughout the country. Even more surprisingly, despite being a complete statue, it is made of two different colored stones.

A rare statue of Shiva in an upright posture has been found throughout the country.

Hoang Son

OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL STATE

The Shiva statue currently housed in the My Son Room ( Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum) with the code BTC 26 (3.3) is made of sandstone and is dated to approximately the 8th century. The statue is 196 cm high, 55 cm wide, 52 cm thick, and weighs 250 kg. It was excavated by the French School of Far Eastern Studies (EFEO) at Tower C1 in My Son in 1903 and brought to the museum in 1918. The Shiva statue is in a standing position, with both hands extended forward. The head is meticulously and delicately rendered. The hair is braided and styled in a high bun. The neck has three creases, the shoulders are level, and the arms hang down; the part from the elbows extending forward is broken...

The base, where the feet are attached, is a lighter color than the body of the statue.

Hoang Son

Leading us on a tour of the statue, Mr. Ly Hoa Binh, an officer at the Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum, explained that Shiva is a deity primarily worshipped at the My Son sanctuary ( Quang Nam province ), depicted in the form of a linga and a human-like statue. According to Mr. Binh, the standing Shiva statue currently on display at the museum is an original, unique artifact, a large, round statue, and the only one unearthed at Tower C1 of My Son in 1903. Most Shiva statues discovered to date in Cham sculpture are usually depicted in relief, seated or standing in a dancing pose.

The joint between the legs and the torso is a fascinating feature of the Shiva statue.

Hoang Son

Upon closer observation, it can be seen that the Shiva statue has two large fractures in the neck and lower body due to being joined together in three parts: head, torso, and legs. Notably, although it is a complete statue, the upper torso has a darker stone color compared to the legs, which are carved directly into the base. Researcher Tran Ky Phuong explains that the reason the statue has two different colors is because, historically, when the statue was discovered at My Son, the torso was found first. The head was found by the French, taken back to France for safekeeping, and later returned to the museum.

"The base of the statue was found on the stream bank at the My Son temple complex. The weathering process in the underground environment and under the stream is different, causing the sandstone to have different colors. Therefore, when the parts are joined together as they are today, the statue has two colors," Mr. Phuong said.

WHERE IS THIS GOLD JEWELRY SET NOW?

Mr. Ly Hoa Binh further explained that, as part of the FSP project supported by the French Embassy, from 2004 to 2009, French and Cambodian experts came to the museum to research and propose solutions for preserving the statue. Previously, to join the statue together, experts used iron pins inside the statue's body. Over time, the iron pins rusted, so the experts removed, processed, and replaced them with a more durable material. "In many archival photos, around 1950, the statue's base was already attached. Thus, the loss of the two parts of the statue very early on meant that weathering over a long period resulted in different colors," Mr. Binh further analyzed.

Evaluating the criteria as an artifact with a unique form, researcher Tran Ky Phuong said that this is a large, round statue with a unique depiction of the god Shiva in an upright posture, worshipped in the main tower C1 at the My Son sanctuary in the form of a human deity. According to Mr. Phuong, at My Son, inside temple B1 is a linga-yoni idol, while inside temple C1 is a statue of the human god Shiva standing on a yoni pedestal. In the linga-yoni form, Shiva is seen as the pillar of the universe and the embodiment of creation, while the human god Shiva on the yoni pedestal has the appearance of a king. Of all the Brahman temple relics of the Champa kingdom, My Son is the only sanctuary that practiced this unique form of religious belief.

According to the Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum, the decorative carvings on this statue are considered exquisite and unique, clearly reflecting local characteristics, making it a beautiful work of art depicting Shiva in a round statue that has been preserved to this day. The standing Shiva statue is relatively intact, especially the earlobes which still show traces of jewelry holes, used to wear gold and silver jewelry during important ceremonies. Based on this information, researcher Tran Ky Phuong revealed that in 1903, during excavations at tower C7, Henri Parmentier and his colleagues found a unique set of gold jewelry used to adorn the statue during rituals. "I understand that after 1954, the gold jewelry was stored in the State Bank. To this day, its whereabouts remain unknown…," Mr. Phuong said.

Researchers studying Cham sculpture further note that the typical features displayed on the face of the Shiva statue also serve as a basis for comparing and dating some kosa-linga made of precious metals with carved Shiva faces found in Central Vietnam, which have similar features.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bao-vat-quoc-gia-vi-sao-bao-tuong-shiva-lai-co-2-mau-185240423230722288.htm