Some of the most important steles from the Second Turk Empire, including the epitaphs of Kul Tegin and Bilga Qaghan, include turtle bases, and both also are topped by
addorsed Chinese-style dragons "draped" over the monuments in the same position as the wolves of Bugut: heads down, eyes open, jaws agape.
What is exceptional about both the figure and the
addorsed lions that once supported his feet is the survival of their original beautifully polished surface.
Chapter three, "Fusion of Two Bodies," gathers examples of Ardhanarisvara and Harihara where two different bodies are fused into one unique body, and also examples of
addorsed bodies (or heads) of Yaksas, Kuvera, Scythian males, Ganesa, and Buddha/Bodhisattva icons.
This finely cast example, which would originally have been part of a set of 16 producing 12 musical notes, is surmounted by a pair of
addorsed dragons--a symbol of imperial power and strength.
