# Makara

- By: anonymous
- Date: c. 800 - c. 900
- Medium: andesite
- Classification: sculpture
- Dimensions: height 97 cm x width 99 cm x depth 37 cm
- Credit line: On loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands (transfer Oudheidkundige Dienst Nederlands-Indië, 1931)
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/AK-MAK-247--00829ab352ef7422763ac9e48e187dbb)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://iiif.micr.io/jgvYj/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

The makara is a mythical creature associated with water. In Central Java, they often stood guard at temple entrances. This example has the muzzle of a dragon, the trunk of an elephant and the horns of a ram. Seated on the tongue of its wide-open mouth is a lion.