Makara of échiffre at the Guimet museum, Paris

myminifactory

Makara is a mythical sea creature from Hindu mythology. Typically, it's shown with its front half resembling a terrestrial animal such as an elephant, crocodile, stag, or deer, while the hind part resembles a fish or seal tail. Some Makaras even sport a peacock tail. This sculpture originated in Java, Indonesia but now resides at the Guimet museum. Unfortunately, the artist remains unknown, although it's estimated to date back to around the 9th century. This object is part of the "Scan The World" initiative. "Scan The World" is a non-profit project launched by MyMiniFactory that aims to create a free digital archive of fully printable sculptures and artworks from around the globe. "Scan The World" relies on community contributions, so if you have interesting items at home and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com for more information.