Fact check: Image shared as sculpture in an ancient temple in Karnataka is originally an artwork by Mexican artist
The machine resembled the computer with the person typing on a keyboard while looking into the monitor like structure.
An image of an ancient soldier dressed in his armour and the head gear, sitting in front of a machine and working on it is going viral on all platforms of social media. The machine resembled the computer with the person typing on a keyboard while looking into the monitor like structure.
This image is being circulated with the narrative in Telugu claiming "1400 సంవత్సరముల క్రితం పల్లవ రాజు రెండవ నరశింహవర్మ కర్ణాటక లోని తలగిరి లో శివాలయము నిర్మించారు. ఈ ఆలయ శిల్పాలలో కంప్యూటర్ ను కీ-బోర్డుతో సహా ఉన్న శిల్పం ఎంతో ఆకర్షణ గా ఉంది. మన పూర్వీకులు భవిష్యత్ ప్రపంచ అభివృద్ధిని ముందే ఊహించి మహా గ్రంథాలు, ఇటువంటి శిల్పాల ద్వారా తెలియజేసారు. అది మన దేశ గొప్పతనం."
When translated states "1400 years ago, the Pallava King Narasimha Varma II built a Shiva temple in Talageri, Karnataka. Among the sculptures of this temple, the sculpture of a computer with a keyboard is very attractive. Our forefathers foresaw the future development of the world through great scriptures and such sculptures. That is the greatness of our country"
Here are the archive links:
Fact check:
The claim that the image shows sculpture in Thalageri temple in Karnataka is FALSE. It is an artwork recently made by an Mexican artist Raul Cruz.
When the image was searched using Google reverse image search, we found that the image was used as a cover page for a book named 'Cosmos Latinos – An anthology of Science Fiction from Latin America and Spain' – Collection of Science fiction from Latin America in English.
https://www.weslpress.org/9780819566348/cosmos-latinos/
When we searched for this book on Google Books, in the credits we could see the cover page illustration as Memoria del future, by Raul Cruz.
When searched using these credits as keywords, we found an artist page of Raul Cruz on artstation.com, where his artwork is on display, along with the viral image.
https://www.artstation.com/raulcruz
The viral image which is an original Raul Cruz's artwork can be seen on this website with the name 'Memory of the future'. This was posted 3 years ago on this platform.
https://raulcruz.artstation.com/projects/2xyYyY
We can also see the portfolio of the artist on the platform.
https://raulcruz.artstation.com/resume
We also found a website named strange horizons, which explains the nature of Raul Cruz's artwork.
"Raul Cruz (a.k.a. Racrufi) has been working as a freelance illustrator since 1983 for a variety of clients, in Mexico (Fernandez Publishing, Roberto Gaudelli, Montage, and more), the US (Marvel Comics and the magazines Heavy Metal and Spectrum, among others) and Argentina (Lumen Publishing). Raul creates illustrations for children's books, covers for books and magazines, posters, trading cards, and storyboards, and also works in stage design. He has held several art exhibitions in both Mexico and the US, and has been attending SF and comic book conventions regularly. Since there are no illustration schools in Mexico, Raul has developed his own techniques using digital and traditional media such as Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio, acrylics, and collage. Raul's artwork, inspired by Aztec and Mayan art, mixes traditional elements with science fiction and fantastic themes. Currently Raul is seeking a publisher for his first art book."
http://strangehorizons.com/art/future-ancestors/
Therefore, the image shared with the claim that it is a sculpture in a temple built by Pallava kings of India and was a vision of the sculptors of ancient times is actually an artwork of a Mexican artist named Raul Cruz. It is not an ancient sculpture but a recent artwork. The claim is FALSE.
