Nandi statue found at Yogyakarta dig

The latest find from excavations at the grounds of the Indonesian Islamic University campus in Yogyakarta is a statue of Nandi, the sacred vehicle of the Shiva.

photo credit: romana klee

Sacred Statue Uncovered at Site of Ancient Hindu Temple in Yogyakarta
Jakarta Globe, 06 January 2010

Astatue of Nandi, the sacred bull that carried the Hindu god Shiva, was discovered on Wednesday among the ruins of what is believed to be an ancient temple at an excavation site in Yogyakarta.

Indung Panca Putra, the head of the excavation team from the Yogyakarta Antiquities and Relics Conservation Agency, said the discovery of the statue, which in Hindu mythology is said to embody sexual energy and fertility, meant that the team would now continue its work until Jan. 20. A previous deadline for the excavation work had been set for Jan. 6.

“The statue is exquisite,” Indung said. “The sculpture is carved differently from other statues of Nandi. This one is not depicted as fat.”

Previous discoveries at the site, which is located on the Indonesian Islamic University campus, include a statue of Ganesha, Shiva’s divine son; a linga , the symbol of worship for Shiva; and a yoni , a Hindu symbol for divine passage or birth.

The full story of the nandi sculpture find can be read here.