Image title: A Mythical Pair

A mythical pair [Corner roof bracket; 17th century]—Two fantastic semi-human, horned creatures, male and female dominate the upper portion of this bracket. Beneath them are squatting figres, each holding a cup made of a human skull. At the lower end is the celestial Sun-bird, Garuda. He is depicted with some of the features characterizing fierce gods: a skull-ornamented diadem, hair standing on end, and bushy brows over round eyes. His upraised broken right arm may have brandished a weapon. The presence of the huge, animal-headed creatures on this bracket, rather than Gods or Goddesses, are symbols of strength and indicate that it supported a heavy roof corner.

Gallery information:

The Patan Museum is located on the Durbar square of Patan (Lalitpur/Lalitapura, Kathmandu, Nepal) which is associated Keshav Narayan Chowk (Keshavnarayan)—a form of Lord Vishnu. Being listed as a World Heritage Site, the whole of Durbar square is filled with exquisite temples, sculptures and other ancient structures, of which the ancient history history can be traced to the Malla Kings of Lalitpur. It is an important site for both Buddhism and Hinduism.