The collectible eastern elephant is an important representation of the majestic Asian elephant. Its history and spiritual nature must be clearly understood if you want to successfully use this type of figurine in your home or office. However, before you can do this, it would be wise to consider the distinctions between Asian and African elephants. Hopefully, you already know that there are important similarities and differences between these two types of elephants.
Asian and African elephants look a lot alike because they are both “elephants.” They are large animals with trunks, strong bodies and large 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 different physical characteristics. Due to their unique environments, they have made behavioral adaptations 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; their average height is between 7 and 12 feet. Also, the Asian elephant has smaller ears. They serve to cool the elephant when it gets too hot, as they do with the African counterpart. 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 with daily activities. These activities would include bathing with water, eating food, and communicating with other elephants. The Asian elephant has a limb that sticks out of its trunk. Most female Asian elephants do not have tusks, while most female African beasts do. If a female Asian elephant has tusks, they are usually very difficult to see.
It should be noted that Asian elephants have been used for domestic purposes for many centuries. In Asia, 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 detail work in mills and other industries. It is because of their great size and great strength that these elephants have been used to fell small trees, weeds, bushes and other types of weeds in places destined for human settlements or industry. So in Asia it has been common for humans and elephants to live, work and worship side by side in harmonious continuity. It’s not hard to see why the Asian elephant has become such an important symbol.
There are also different emphases on the elephant in different places. For example, the Indian elephant dates back to ancient mythologies. The elephant in India is considered precious because it has divine origins. It must be preserved and protected at all costs just like fine jewelry. Elephants represent strength, fidelity, long memory, patience, wisdom, and marital happiness. The famous white elephant of India is considered “solar”.
According to tradition associated with Buddhism, an ivory elephant once appeared to the sacred Mayan Queen to herald the birth of a royal king who would rule the entire 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 that we now know 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 enlightenment, one’s own light, the quality of the sacred, wisdom, durability, honor, superiority and wealth.
An important, albeit sad, issue is that of elephant ivory. The use and trade of elephant ivory has become highly controversial as its harvesting, which generally involves killing these majestic and peaceful animals solely for their tusks, has contributed to depleting elephant populations in some areas of the world. Ivory trafficking is often illegal in many places. So care must be taken when choosing ivory figurines depicting white elephants. However, the oriental elephant figurine is a great collectible for your Asian decorating scheme. The options of bronze, white or gold elephants are very nice for the thoughtful collector. The history, symbolism, and spiritual appeal of the elephant will add considerably to your other vintage selections. It’s probably wise not to overcrowd your decor with any kind of collectible, including elephants, until you’re sure of your decorating goals. The eastern elephant is a very pragmatic and prudent choice!