Headless Statue of Sacred Bull Found in Java

SUKOHARJO, INDONESIA—A village resident in Central Java province uncovered a statue of a bull while digging holes to plant banana trees, according to a Jakarta Post report. The statue, which is missing its head, is thought to date to the Mataram Kingdom, or from the eighth to tenth century. It is thought to depict Lembu Andini, a sacred animal said to have carried the Hindu god Shiva. Bimo Kokor Wijanarko, Sukoharjo cultural heritage analyst, suspects the statue’s head was stolen and the rest of it reburied by looters. “A lot of animal-shaped ancient relics were found headless,” he said. “Maybe this is because the heads of statues are very valuable.” To read about another discovery in Indonesia, go to “The First Artists.”