Masterpiece Saraswati on Swan Statue

Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music and the arts. She dances while playing the veena and stands on her vehicle, the beautiful swan. The swan symbolizes prudence, so that one’s knowledge may distinguish between good and evil. The swan stands on finely carved lotus flowers. She wears beautifully carved flourishing robes and an ornate headdress. In her four arms, she holds a veena, a palm leaf and a lontar (a Balinese traditional book which is the source of science or knowledge). On the waistline of her dress is a peacock, her herald, a symbol of the arts. In the back of her crown is the head of Garuda. Details abound!

Crocodile Wood or Satin Wood; Zanthoxylum rhetsa: The Indonesian name, panggal buaya, literally translates to crocodile teeth, referring to the knobby, tooth- shaped protrusions which cover the trunk. Native to lowlands from India to the Philippines, crocodile wood is usually white in color, some pieces have narrow, dark stripes. The grain is straight and easy to carve and the wood is of medium hardness. Older trees produce darker wood than younger ones and the higher up in the tree, the lighter the color. Crocodile wood is often called the Ivory of Woods because of its similar color and smooth finish.