The Family of Shiva is a tenth century relief sculpture made of sandstone from a region of India known as Uttar Pradesh. The sculpture measures approximately two feet tall, one foot wide and six inches deep. This elaborate relief depicts Shiva, Hindu god of destruction, and his consort Parvati (Uma-Mahaeshvara) seated on a lotus, symbol of the universe, which in turn is supported by the bull Nandin, Shiva's vehicle. This theme of the divine couple is arguably the quintessential image of sculpture of the later Hindu period in northern India because of its intricate and multifaceted detail. The artistry found in the details of this sculpture presents audiences with great significance to these figures and Hindu culture in its entirety. Shiva is adorned with jewels along his arms, a crown around his neck, and a tall, powerful head. ornament. Her soft, round body sits with an open body gesture, and her gaze looks straight at the viewer, beckoning us to enter. His head is placed in front of a halo, which marks an achievement of enlightenment or spiritual meditation. Positioned between his eyes is an Urna, a third eye, which is a representation of the cycle of birth and rebirth around which Hindu culture is structured. Calm and all-powerful, he grips his trident (now broken) and lightly presses his right foot against the ground to contain the warriors of Ravana, the demon king of the underworld, depicted at the bottom center. Seated next to Shiva is Parvati, who embraces his body and all his eminence. She is also sculpted into a soft, round nude body with very large breasts and a slight belly, emphasizing her fertility and femininity. She is too decorated with necklaces, arms ba...... middle of paper ......l centuries. In the general context of Southeast Asian art, the sculpture is surely not the first example of Shiva seated with his consort Parvati. A number of fourth or fifth century examples can be located, although none of these feature a depiction of the "holy family" depicting the divine couple, which is a defining iconographic element of the sculpture of the family of Shiva.5The relief sculpture of the family of Shiva The family is only a small object, but within the confines of such a small object lies a vast history of India, its religious foundations, and serves to uphold the deep and important ideology of Hinduism. Each facet of the sculpture includes knowledge of the culture and contains its own history. Holding so much substance, it is works of art like these that allow us to grasp the history of our own world and retain its magnificence..