1000-year-old Shiva Nataraja Murti (Idol) in Solid Bronze in Amsterdam Museum – Highest Level on Bronze Casting in Ancient World

X-ray of a 1000-year-old Shiva Nataraja Murti (Idol) at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam revealed that it is made of solid bronze – once again proving the expertise that ancient Hindu kingdoms had in the use of metals. The dancing Shiva murti is believed to be highest level achieved on bronze casting in ancient world.

It was always believed that Shiva was pure bronze but to the surprise of the researchers the aureole and the demon under Shiva’s feet too were of solid bronze. 

Rijksmuseum reports 

At 153 cm x 114.5 cm, the Rijksmuseum’s Shiva is the largest known bronze statue from the Chola Dynasty (9th to 12th century) kept in a museological collection outside of India. Given its weight (300 kg), the statue has always been suspected of not being hollow. 

The statue was created ca. 1100 in South India. Each temple had its own set of bronze statues which were carried through the city during major temple festivals. This gives the statues their name: utsavamurti, which is Sanskrit for ‘festival images’. Chola bronzes were considered masterpieces of Indian bronze casting.

Anna Ślączka, curator of South Asian Art, comments, ‘We had expected that the statue itself would prove to be solid, but it was a complete surprise to discover that the aureole and the demon under Shiva’s feet are also solid.’

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