id: 147561 accession number: 1973.63 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1973.63 updated: 2020-11-04 21:15:12.109000 Pendant in the Shape of a Fish-Tailed Elephant, 185-72 BC. India, Shunga Period (c. 187-78 BC). Gold; The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1973.63 title: Pendant in the Shape of a Fish-Tailed Elephant title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 185-72 BC creation date earliest: 185 creation date latest: 72 current location: 242A Ancient India creditline: John L. Severance Fund copyright: --- culture: India, Shunga Period (c. 187-78 BC) technique: gold department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art collection: Indian Art - Sunga type: Jewelry find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE --- fun fact: digital description: Because of water's life-giving properties, animals such as fish and Indian elephants who love the water were considered auspicious. This composite elephant with a playfully raised trunk and a curling fish tail would have been strung as a pendant on a necklace. wall description: --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Sengupta, Arputha Rani. Buddhist Jewels in Mortuary Cult: Magic Symbols. Delhi: Agam Kala Prakashan, 2019. page number: Reproduced: Vol. 1, P. 144, fig. 3.39a; Mentioned: Vol. 1, P. 149 url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1973.63/1973.63_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1973.63/1973.63_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1973.63/1973.63_full.tif