Large, Silver-Inlaid Brass Shiva Mukhalinga Plaque

This large, imposing  cast and chiselled brass mask of Lord Shiva shows the deity with a realistically-rendered face, large, penetrating  eyes, a luxuriant moustache, and a tiered crown. Unusually, the mask is inlaid with silver as well as three red glass plaques to serve as pupils in the eyes and the third eye on the forehead. There is a prominent Shaivite tilaka marking known as a tripundra on the forehead. Silver has been used to decorate the head band, the eyes, the earrings and the beard. Much of the silver has been worn away over the years.

The crown has been elaborately engraved with leaf and geometric motifs. The earrings are especially elaborate and cover most of the outer rim of each ear as well as the lobe.

The mukhalinga plaque has been cast so that it can stand on its own, which it does in an even and stable fashion without rocking.

A lug has been cast to each side of the reverse of the mask, indicating that a back casing also would have been present at one point, allowing the mask to fit around a lingam.

Mukhalingas are based on the lingam, an aniconic representation of Shiva’s phallus, intended to represent Shiva’s strength and power. Over time, metal (usually brass) covers were made for stone representations of the lingam, and eventually, the covers themselves came to be worshipped as stand-ins for the actual lingam. During the Kushan period (1st-3rd century) in north India, faces started to be added to the lingam cover, hence the name mukhalinga. A further transformation was to produce face plaques alone, as in the example here.

The plaque is in fine condition with good wear and ample signs of age.