A stone idol of a Hindu deity, resembling idols from the 12th century Pala dynasty, was discovered in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district Saturday, an official said.
The idol of lord Vishnu, carved out of a metamorphic rock, was found by locals while digging up a field in Beldanga area.
While a detailed analysis of the 4.5 feet high and 2.7 feet wide idol is yet to be done, deputy director of directorate of archaeology and museums, Amal Ray, said preliminary examination suggests it to be an imitation of a Pala idol.
“From preliminary inspection, it appears the sculpture is not complete. The anatomical balance seems lacking. It seems to have been crafted somewhere after 15th century,” said Ray.
Ray said a number of idols belonging to the Pala dynasty have been found in the district earlier, including some resembling the current idol.
Murshidabad served as the capital of the Pala dynasty for about four hundred years and a lot of artefacts of the period have been excavated.
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