Gods and Deities

Gods and Deities

There's one thing all the figures presented in the theme 'Gods and Deities' have in common: people believe, or used to believe in their existence and their powers. Images of divine beings from a wide range of cultures are featured in this selection. The earliest statues in the museum's collection are from Asia. These Hindu and Buddhist gods are idealised human figures; in fact they are superhuman. Each god has recognisable symbols, gestures and physical characteristics- often shown in minute detail. For example, Shiva has a third eye, Ganesha has an elephant's head and Durga has ten arms. And each figure has its own story.