A mottled red sandstone head of a Jina, India, 11th/12th century CE
AS1803
- This object qualifies for free and fast worldwide shipping.
In Jainism, a Tirthankara (Sanskrit: tīrthaṅkara; English: literally a 'ford-maker') is a savior and spiritual teacher of the dharma (righteous path). The word Tirthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha, which is a fordable passage across the sea of interminable births and deaths, the saṃsāra. According to Jains, a Tirthankara is a rare individual who has conquered the saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth, on their own and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the Self or soul, the Tīrthaṅkara attains Kevala Jnana (omniscience), and the first Tirthankara refounds Jainism. Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow the new teacher from saṃsāra to moksha (liberation).
Mahavira (6th century BCE) was the last Tirthankara to appear. According to tradition, his predecessor, Parshvanatha, lived about 250 years earlier; the other Tirthankaras mentioned in the Jain scriptures cannot be considered historical figures. According to Jain belief, each cosmic age produces its own group of 24 Tirthankaras, the first of whom—if it is an age of descending purity—are giants, but they decrease in stature and appear after shorter intervals of time as the age proceeds.
Condition: Some losses to both ears, and loss to the underside tip of nose, and a few very minor chips on the hair knots, otherwise intact and in very good condition overall. Custom base. A beautiful example.
Dimensions: Height: 8 inches (20.3 cm), mounted height: 12 1/2 inches (31.75)
Provenance: Private NYC collection. Ex. Sotheby's, NYC, November 30, 1982, lot # 254 and Ex. Sotheby's, NYC, December 13, 2005, lot 53.
Sands of Time provides a lifetime, unconditional guarantee of authenticity and provenance. Every object you purchase from us is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, stating culture, provenance, and age.
Furthermore, we conduct due diligence to ensure the item, to the best of our knowledge, has not been illegally obtained from an excavation, architectural monument, public institution, or private property. Wherever possible, reference is made to existing collections or publications.Wherever possible, reference is made to existing collections or publications.
We ship Tuesday to Friday with FedEx and usually same day if your order is received before 2pm. Within the continental USA, packing, shipping and insurance is free. Depending on size and destination, delivery times range from one to five business days.
If we are shipping this object to you overseas, there is no charge for packing, preparation of all customs paperwork, insurance and carrier fees in compliance with all USA and International customs requirements.
We send overseas shipments with FedEx International Priority which usually means two to three day delivery to Europe and the UK, customs willing but contact us if you have a shipping preference.
Please note: International customers are responsible for all duties and taxes.
