Description
Crowned by a five-headed cobra whose coiled body weaves itself into a throne, this bejeweled figure is a "nagaraja," or divine serpent-king. As inhabitants of watery places and guardians of the earth’s hidden treasures, serpent deities are associated with fecundity and wealth. This nagaraja holds a gem in one hand and a plate of offerings in the other. Once inlaid with semiprecious stones, the sculpture may have functioned in a Hindu or Buddhist context, for nagas are sacred across religious traditions.
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