The oriental elephant collectible is an important representation of the majestic Asian elephant itself. Its history and spiritual nature should be understood clearly if you are to successfully utilize this kind of figurine in your home or office. However, before you can do this it would be wise to consider the distinctions between the Asian and African elephants themselves. Hopefully, you are already aware that there are important similarities as well as differences between these two types of elephants.
Asian and African elephants do indeed look very much alike because they are both “elephants.” They are large animals with trunks, strong bodies, and big ears. They have great strength, mobility, and generally travel with other elephants. Despite these obvious similarities, they are also very different from each other. They have distinct physical characteristics. It is because of their unique environments that they have made behavioral adaptions that are also different from each other. Understanding these important differences can also help you understand how the elephant survives in its natural world even today.
Generally speaking, the Asian elephant is smaller than the African elephant. The Asian elephant weighs between 3.25 and 5.5 tons. The African elephant usually weighs more. The Asian elephant is also shorter; its average height is between 7 and 12 feet. In addition, the Asian elephant has smaller ears. They serve to cool the elephant when it gets too warm, as they do for the African counter part. The Asian elephant has 4 toes on each hind foot while the African breed has only 3 toes on each hind foot. The back of the Asian elephant is more humped. Like the African animal, the Asian elephant uses its trunk to help it with daily activities. These activities would include bathing with water, eating food, and communicating with other elephants. The Asian elephant has one extremity coming from its trunk. Most female Asian elephants do not have tusks while most female African beasts do. If a female Asian elephant does happen to have tusks, they are usually very hard to see.
It is noteworthy that Asian elephants have been used for domestic purposes for many centuries. In Asia, the people have often used these magnificent elephants as ceremonial animals. They have even ridden these elephants during special ceremonial events! Some Asian elephants have been used for work details in mills and other industries. It is because of their large size and great strength that these elephants have been employed to knock down small trees, brush, shrubs, and other kinds of undergrowth in places intended for human settlement or industry. So in Asia it has been commonplace for humans and elephants to live, work, and worship side by side in harmonious continuity. It is not difficult to see why the Asian elephant has developed into such an important symbol.
There are also different emphases placed upon the elephant in different places. For instance, the Indian elephant goes back to ancient mythologies. The elephant in India is considered precious because it has divine origins. It should be preserved and protected at all costs just like fine jewel are. Elephants represent strength, fidelity, long memory, patience, wisdom, and conjugal felicity. The famous white elephant of India is considered to be “solar.”
According to the tradition associated with Buddhism, an ivory elephant once appeared to the sacred Queen Maya to announce the birth of a royal king who would rule over the whole world. In Buddhism, the white or “ivory” elephant is also the Jewel of the Law. It symbolizes compassion, love, and kindness. In the region of the world we know today as China, the elephant is a symbol of strength, sagacity, prudence, energy, and sovereignty. The beautiful, golden elephant tends to represent the sun. The golden elephant symbolizes illumination, self light, the quality of sacredness, wisdom, durability, honor, superiority, and wealth.
An important, though sad, subject is that of elephant ivory. The use and trade of elephant ivory has become very controversial as its harvesting, which usually involves killing these majestic, peaceful animals solely for their tusks, has contributed to fewer populations of elephants in some areas of the world. Ivory dealing is often illegal in many places. So one should be careful about choosing ivory figurines which represent white elephants. Nevertheless, the oriental elephant figurine is a great collectible for your Asian decor scheme. The choices of bronze, white, or golden elephants are very enjoyable to make for the thoughtful collector. The elephant’s history, symbolism, and spiritual appeal will be something which adds considerably to your other vintage selections. It is probably wise to not over populate your decor with any one kind of collectible, including elephants, until you are certain of your decor goals. The oriental elephant is a very pragmatic and prudent choice indeed!
