11th-13th century AD. A carved sandstone guardian figure (yaksha) standing, wearing a belted sampot and conical makuta headdress; four arms springing from the shoulders, stern facial features; mounted on a custom-made stand. See Chugh, L., Karnataka's Rich Heritage - Art and Architecture: From Prehistoric Times to the Hoysala Period, Chennai, 2016. 35.4 kg total, 1.09m including stand (43"). Property of an East Sussex gentleman; from his private collection formed between 1983 and 1990; formerly in a South East London collection formed in the 1970s; accompanied by a scholarly note TL 5276 by Dr Ronald Bonewitz. The yakshas are a class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious. They are mainly connected with water and fertility, trees and woodland, treasure and the wilderness.They appear in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, and are carved onto the architecture of ancient and medieval temples of South Asia and Southeast Asia where they perform the role of guardian deities. Fine condition.