South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c8.18

c8.18

The face is taken as the unit or the common measure and is technically known as *tula*. In the 4th chapter of the *Sukra-nitisāra* as also in the *Pratimālakhana*, chapter 58 of the Brihat Sanhitā, measurements are given of the average human body according to which the average male figure is stated to be eight times the face which is represented by one *tala*. This law of eight heads or *asta tālam* is therefore the same as laid down by Vitruvius. Any height for a human male less than the *eighth measure* is conceived in the *Sukraniti* as dwarfish or below the average. The average human female figure is given as of seven measures (*Sapta tāla*). The average infant figure is laid down as of the fifth measure (*Pancha tāla*) : " *Pancha-tala smritā-bālā*," ' The fifth measure is said to be for the infant.'