Burmese design through drawings 9746005316, 9789746005319

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U AYE MTCINT

BURMESE DESIGN r m t O U G J I DRAWINGS

Edited by Sone Simatrang Translated by U THANOE SILPA KO RN UNIVERSITY Bangkok,Thailand THE TOYOTA FOUNDATION Tokyo Ja p a n h i

First Publishing : April 1993 First R u n : 1,000 issues All right reserved

Silpakorn University 1993 IS B N ‘>74-600-53 1-6

Published by Silpakorn University with the Financial Support of The Toyota Foundation

Photographs : Sone Simatrang Book Designer : Sone Simatrang Color Plates : 71 Film Limited Partnership,Bangkok 10500 Printer’s : Siam I'ong Kit Press Lim ited Partnership,Bangkok 10 I it ' IV

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements, V II The Toyota Foundation M anaging Director’s Foreword , V I I I The President of Silpakorn University’s Foreword , IX Editor's Note, X PART ON F A C ultural History ol B urm a, 2 PART TW O Reproducing traditional Burmese designs seen and studies, 10 O ne Design from Potsherds, 20 /’wo K anout 'he Burmese Floral Design, 54 Three A nim als and Birds, 94 Four Designs in Pagodas and other buildings, 1 36 Five Dress Styles, 156 Six Textile Designs, 182, Sc veil Miscellaneous, 192 Glossary, 208 A Note on; Rom anization, 212 C h ronology and Historical Sites (old capitals) in B urm a, 212 Selected Bibliography, 213 The A uthor, 214

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This hook is dedicated to M r.C h ark Siripanich ihc former dean ot Decorative Arts Faculty Silpakorn University B angkok,T hailand.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements, V II The Toyota Foundation M anaging Director's Foreword 1 . VIII The President of Silpakorn U niversity’s Foreword , I X Editor’s Note, X PART O N I A Cultural History oi Burm a, 2 PART T W O Reproducing traditional Burmese designs seen and studies, 10 O ne Design from Potsherds, 20 / tv Kanout the Burmese Moral Design, 54 Ihree A nim als and Birds, 94 / o u r Designs in Pagodas and other buildings, 1 36 Five Dress Styles, 156 Six Textile Designs, 182 Seven Miscellaneous, 192 Glossary, 208 A Note on Rom anization, 212 Chronology and Historical Sites (old capitals) in Burm a, 212 Selected Bibliography, 213 The A uthor, 214

I

This book is dedicated to M r.C h ark Siripanich the former dean ol Decorative Arts Faculty Silpakorn University B angkok,T hailand.

it

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ACKNOW LEDGEMENT H und reds of people have helped me in mv years of research and in collecting ancient works ol art. M y thanks are due to. 1 1 K h in M ating iBank), artist U Kywe Lei (artist), Ven U Tli'awbhita (Shw eikaingtha), U P yinnyá. (T au ngleilon M onastery, A m arapura), U D h a m m a s a m i (Leitha M onastery, Salei), M a jo r Ba S h in (Historical C om m ission), l ! H tw ei Sein (Pagan), artist and engineer U I in Ei (ex-principal, school of Lacquerware, Pugam ), U Bokei (ex-research officer, P ug"m ), Ko N eim yo (M r. N oel Singer), artist D r. T h a n l l t u n (Professor of History), U VVun (M in T h u w u n , poet and scholar), Li M a u n g M ating T in (M/\, Burmese C om m ission), U H tu n Y i (Scholar of old literature), Dr. Kyaw H tin (ex-director, H om e Industries), L; H la H tu n H py u (adviser, W eaving), U M in N a in g (director, M inistry of C ulture), U 'K v a w N yein (sculpture instructor), L' W in M a u n g (artistsculptor, 1. am paw ali), U Sein M y in t (artist, M andalay), D aw T in H la (ex-director, M inistry of Culture), U Kyaw Sein (A m arapura) custodian. Archaeology D epartm ent, Li M y in t T h e in (draw ing master, weav ing), U K h in M aung Lei (Nanthon-yatana, M andalay) goldspiith, D aw Htwei K yin (Acheit weaver), 17 A u n g Kyiy (M a u n g Hseiyo) art instructor, \rt school, R ang oon, Li M y in t H tu n (schol ar), Ko K h in M a u n g W in art instructor (Lacquer School, Pagan), U Htei Ko (M andalay)^ and m any other persons w ho have helped me in various ways on m v study tours as well as the Archaeological D epartm ent, and the Architecture D epartm ent (R angoon Institute of Technology). I must also thank the T oyota F o u n d a tio n and the persons w ho have assisted me in bringing out this book : Asst. Professor Sonc Sim atrang, Faculty of Decorativ e Arts, S ilp akorn U niversity, B angkok, M r. Kofat, M aun g Swam Yiy, M a u n g T haya, U Hi Ko, U H tu n Wei (Y a n k in Films) and M a u n g T h a N oe, w ho has translated m v work into English. U A Y E M Y IN T

The Toyota Foundation Managing Director’s foreword O n behalf of the- Toyota f o u n d a tio n , I should like to congratulate U Aye M y in t on the publication of his Burmese Design I ¡uouyji D raw ing. This book, published in I hailand, is the fruit of a joint internatio nal project funded by the Fou ndation and in volving the cooperation of T h a i and Burmese specialists. i be idea ot p u blish ing this opiicction ot traditional B u rm ese designs goes back more than five yeaiTS to WHS, w hen Ka. ue 1w amoto, then the p ro g ra m 1officer ot the F ou nda tion's International I )ivision, visited B u rm a du rin g one o f her regular trips to Southeast Asian countries- In R a n g o o n sin- was introduced to she architecf ural designer I A y e M yint. He showed her £t C o l l e c t i on oi traditional Burmese elesigns he had copied over a period of several years a n d expressed his strong desire to publish the drawings in order to make B u r m a ’s artistic heritage better k now n both to the Burmese people a n d to students

lit Burmese art overseas. Iw amoto was eager to help U Aye M in t realize his' eiream. Unfortunately, the F o u n d a t io n ’s International Division, w he h awards grants tor projects aim ed at preserving and revitalizing the indigemuis cultures of Southeast Asia, had been unable to award grants 'to researchers in B u rm a for v arious reasons. If, however, the work could be published in T h a ila n d , the F o u nda tion vvpuld be able to offer grant assistance.'Traveling on to T h a ila n d , Iw asnoto discussed the possibility of publication in that country with Associate Professor A n u v it C h are rn su p k u l of the Faculty of Architecture anti Assistant i'rofessor Sone Simatrang ot the Facullv ot Decorative Arts at Silpakorn Univ ersity, t pon s!inlying the drawings, the two T hai scholars praised ihe collection as both a systematic presentation of the development ot Burmese art styles and techniques and a fine example of U Aye* Mv n i t ’s artisitc skill. 1 hey offered to do whatever they could to facilitate the- publication of his work in book form in T h a ilan d . Burm ese Design T hrough D ra w in g thus represents the successful outcome of internatio nal collaboration. T he international iharacter of the book is underscored by the fact that Professor h u l l )h n o of Osaka University of Foreign Studies, an aul hority on Bui m e s e history and culture, has contrilnitcel a background essay, “ A 1 uh ural f iistoi y of Bin nn'i.” Joint international projects often take a relatively long lime to reach fruition because ed administrative1 complexities and the need tei establish m u tu a l understanding a m o n g the members of tin project team, w h o represent differing cultural and social traditions, V\c deeply appreciate- the hard work of all those involved in the project aiul a re honored to have had the i>pportunity to assist in m a k ing the publication of this im portant work possible. It is our heartfelt hope ¡hat this book will deepen understanding ot B u r m a ’s magnificent art a m o n g people in B u rm a itself ,->nd around the vveH'ld, Fheleo Y am aguchi M a n a g in g D irector The /(>>(>ta h o iu u la iio n

V III

The President of Silpakorn University’s Foreword I w o uld like to express my appreciation for M r. U Aye M y in t ’s good in te n tio n and laborious work; he has dedicated over thirty years studying the Burmese design thro u g h draw ings. T h e sources of in fo r­ m a tio n obtained for the research are taken from archaeological sites £ ** th ro u g h o u t B u rm a, the research is presented to the p u b lic in term of port (olio of draw ings, about 762 pieces in n u m be r. It is an im po rtant and valuable academic study w h ic h deserves to be presented all over the w orld intellectual society. I trust that M r. U Aye M y in t's research represents the intellectual work of the Burmese; it is not only show ing the dignity of the n ation but also revealing the truth that B u rm a is one of the sources of world civilization. T he research is not only for the pride of the researcher but also that of his hom eland-B urm a. M r. Aye M y in t had sent a request to have his book published by (he Toyota F ou ndation in Ja p an or in T h a ila n d , due to the lim it of m arketing and financial support in. p rin tin g in his country. The T oyota F oundation, w h ich has a policy to support the in ternatio nal cooperation am ong researchers a n d educational institutes in A sian countries, and also has a goal to develop a better relationship and cooperation in academic affairs, has donated a financial support to p ublish M r. Aye M y in t ’s work-the original script. As the Toyota F o u ndation and S ilpakorn U niversity have a very long cooperation, the university is very grateful to he asked as a publisher. 'The script is perm itted by the author-M r. Aye M y in t. O n beh alf of S ilpakorn U niversity it is o u r great pleasure in having the h o n o r from the T oyota F o u n d a tio n and M r. Aye M y in t to have the book published and w ill be later presented to the public. In this special occasion, I w o uld like to express m y sincere thanks to the T oyota F o u n d a tio n and to Assistant Professor Sone Sim atrang, D ep artm e nt of A p p lied Arts, Faculty o f Decorative Arts; the editor, w ho h as devoted his valuable time to edit this book. “i

Associate Professor K haisri . Sri-aroon The Preshlcnt o f S ilpakorn U niversity

IX

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Editor’s Note I .mi willing to support the Toyota Foundation's policy in helping Asian researchers and educational institutes in Asian countries to dcvelope the in ternatio nal academic cooperation. S he work begun when Ms. Kazue Iw am oto , the head ot the International G ran t and programmer of the Toyota F o u n d a tio n received the original script ot Burmese Design through Drawing by U A yr Ms m i from the author^ The

Toyota Foundation has donated the financial suppot l and the

Silpakorn University serves as the publisher. I have to apologize to the reader that the publication fakes m u c h Finger time in years to accomplish. T he original script need a lot of im prov em en t the 1600 pieces of draw ing was not preciseb focused lim ing the photographic process, there were also problem in black and white w ith gray tonal values, sizes of the portfolio were a m o n g the problems, many pieces of draw ing had to be photographed, for the second lime so that they woi ild be of tl íe proper sizes of illustrations ; the im prov em en t ot the graphic qualities of the p on to lio t o o k years of work. The political, conflict between the Burmese students against the central Burmese government made me unable to travel to Burmac o m m u n ic a t io n was delayed a n d it took m u c h longer time tha n the expected schedule. I have to aplogize to the reader for all the incovenien,ce.

Assistant Professor Sone Sim atrang

I he head o f A pplied Aria Stuiiies I department f Decorative Arts faculty, Silpakorn Uni\ ersity.

X

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PART

A CuiOiraZ' History of Surma j

Professor O N O Torn

(Osaka University o f Foreign Studies)

"X

S H R ji h■ . 1n

si ! « !i ftom November to February; the hot dry season in ,hi M aich it) May; the rainy season from May to

Recently.humarfbones and stone implements, which are regarded as belonging to the late Palaeolithic or

O.'tober. Flu; monsoon of the rainy season brings tndvy r:un to B m m a except the Central region. A n ansi.i■ 4i lainfali . caches 2,500 m m . in the Irrawaddy Delta

the early Neolithic period, have been found in the Badalin Cave , located at 21 ° 6 North Latitude and 96° 18 East Longitude. The bones unearthed from this

2

c m

T UK \L H ISTO RY

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I hi rmese no r ices, II an goon, photographed by Sone Siimitrang.

Stone Buddh;i,P;ignn period ¡ líh d 4 t h cent.Ad), photographed bv Sone Simatmng.

cave are found to be 11,000 years old. A blazing sun, two palms o f human hand, animal figures such as ox, gaur, elephant, big fish etc, were drawn on (he inner wall o f this cave. The people lived there seem to have been hunters-fishermon. Under the existing circum­ stances, it is quite difficult, to know not only the origin of these cave-living people, but also the process o f their extinction. A first wave of migration of the M ongoloid may have bepn taken place from north to south in the Ne­ olithic period. It is probablejthat there were three main waves in those movements of populations. The first was that of Mon-Khmer races. They moved southward along the big rivers like MeKong and Irrawaddy, and spread throughout the lower plains o f Indochina peninsula. The Khmer occupied the eastern part of the peninsula on one hand, the M on settled iii the cen­ tral and western parts, on the other hand, o f the penin­ sula, where' are now called Thailand and Burma. Dvarcndti was one o f the M on kingdoms in M'-nam plain. Pegu and Thaton were other capitals o f Mon Kingdoms in the lower areas otf Sittang and Salween m i t s , The M o n called themselves Ranuuma in those days, but are known to the Burmans as Tllinings and ,t. IX'gauns-to the Europeans later. They obtained their

regret-tably broken and lost. These figures are seated with their legs slightly bend. All of them raise their hands in front o f their breasts and keep the palms of the hands close to each other with fingers outstretched. This hancl-pose is indicative of prayer, worship or pay­ ing homage to the I loiy ( >ne. They uva; three folded caps upon their heads and necklaces around thei: .necks. Large ear-ornaments attached both to the ear­

>tapie tood mainly by the. cultivation o f rice.

lobes can also be seca. 1he tact that they don't wear

The Tibeto-Burman races were the second wave of m ig r a tio n They entered B u rm a th r o u g h the southeastern slopes o f the Himalaya mountain ranges, and settled alongside the Irrawaddy. The Pyu seems to have been the first group among the Tibeto-Burman races. They have left their own cities near Prome (Tluirekhettara), Slnvebo (Halingyi) and Taungdwingyi (Beikthano). lhcy I’m i built their cities in a circulai plan using bricks. Traces o f their city walls and moats constructed in the first millennium A .D . can distinctly be seen even today. 1hey cultivated rice in paddv fields, and burnt their dead and stored the bones and ashes in urns. A great number of secular figures was engraved on the lower part of a slab stone found in Halin. The u p ­ per part of the s l a b ju ^ once had a huge sculpture like an image of Buddha or H indu G o d, but has been

■1C U L T U R AfrL I

H IS T O R Y

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Dhoti like an Indian but wear a trousers like a Chinese is one o f the most significant features o f their costumes. It appears to be probpbie that the Pyu who lived in Halin at least have been culturally influenced by Chinese. So far as reliable records are concerned, the Pyu used a peculiar alphabet which was palaeographically quite resemble to the K adam ba script which was used in the South India during 5th and 6th century A . D . I'heir language shows monosyllabic and had a tonal system. It indicates close connection with the Burmese and Tibetan languages. Sri Kseira mentioned by the (Chinese Buddhist pil­ grims, Yuan Chuang and I Tsing, in 7th century A . D . is identified with Tharekhettara by many scholars. Ex­ ploration and excavations carried out several times by the Archaeological Department supplied particularly valuable informations about Tharekhettara. Numer­ ous stone sculptures o f the B uddha were unearthed as well as various Bodhisattvas including A valokiiesvara. Two gold plates bearing the writings o f the Pali form u­ la commencing Ye Dhanima were discovered at a small village within the rUin o f Tharekhettara. A n annual

that time. A stone .sculpture o f the seated figures of the H in d u Triad, namely Brahma, Visnu and Siva, however, reveals that the Brahmanism also prevailed threre together with Hinayana and Mahayanu sects of Buddhism. It is evident that'Tharekhettara was under a strong influence o f India unlike Halin. The third wave o f migration was that o f Thai races. They penetrated into B urm a from the northeast and occupied the high plateau to the'east o f Burma. The people settled there calls themselves Tai, but is known to the Burm an as the Shan. They are predominantly upland dry-field farmers. Linguistically the Shan com ­ poses the same stock with the Laos and the Siamese.

THE C O M IN G OF B U R M A N A N D THE FOU N DAT ION OF BURMESE K IN G D O M S ■ 1 The original home o f the Burm an seems to have been

ginning with h ipiso bhagava. Tharekhettara can there­

somewhere in the inner part o f Ch in a, between tlie headspring o f a big river and the 1Iim alayanvranges. In fact,„the words indicating “ n o rth ’ ’ (myauk) and “ south” (taung) in Burmese had originated from the wordjS denoting “ the upper stream” (inyil auk) and ‘the m o u n ta in ” (taung). The ancestors o f the Burm an were expelled from their native place undoubtedly by neighboring nation who might have been politically

fore be regarded as a center o f Buddhist religion at

and military strong than the Proto-Burman. After long

Report o f the Archaeological Survey o f Burm a in­ troduced us another gold leaf containing a part o f the well-known Buddhist formula in praise of Buddha be­

N atdihung-kyaung Temple,only H in d u temple now existiiig in Pagan,was built in around l l t h cent.Add. photographed by Sone Simatrang. ' ‘ 4 . C U L T U R A L H IS T O R Y

Sarabha Gateway,main gate o f the east wall o f old Pagan city,was built by K ing Pyinbya in 9th cent. A .D . ...photographed by Some Simatrang.

Nanpaya Temple,Pagan,was used as the residence ot thei-captive M on king, M anuha. photographed /n Simatrtng.

and troublesome movements toward south or east, they finally reached the narrow watershed between the upper stream o f Salween and Irrawaddy, and settled there under the suzerainty o f Nanchao which was probably lolo kingdom founded by one o f the "Six

the purpose o f maintainning the Sasana for 5,000 years. The financial situation o f Pagan kingdom de­ teriorated gradually during the reign of Pagan dynasty. In the late half o f 13th century, Pagan was attacked live times by I alar forces of the Mongol T.mpire, and

l o r d s ” in the province of Y unnan. According to the description o f a Chinese source' "M a n sh u ” Nancho invaded Pyu kingdom in 832

subsiquently consented to submit to Mongol. A uthori­ ty o f Pagan declined rapidly and the Shans obtained

A .D . and deported three thousand o f Pyu inhabitants to Yunnan province as war captives. This event provid­ ed a good chance to the Proto-Burman who en­

Upper Burma in thefcarlv half of 14th century. Ava was their capital for approximately next 200 years.

a good chance to establish their sovereignty over the

deavoured to escape from the dominance o f Nanchao.

Hundreds of Burman refugees fled to southwards af ter the fall o f Pagan, and built a small fortified town,

The Proto-Burman entered the plains o f Burma and

known later as Toungoo , in the sittang valley. Revolts

ultimately settled the eastern region o f Irrawaddy. 'Their first settelement might have been Kyaukse area

and disorder prevailed throughout the country. Ava rulers had been forced to fight against Slums in the

where the M o n had occupe'd in earlier days. The Bur­

cast and Mons in thq,south. Battles continued particu­ larly between Ava aiid P*egu for forty years. The reason

man seized Kyaukse, and then extended their political control even to the western regions o f Irrawaddy. 849 A .D . was the traditional date of foundation o f Pagan, due to a Burmese chronicle. Anawrahta was regarded as the real founder o f this kingdom. After the conquest of Thaton, capital o f M on kingdom, he brought a complete set o f Pali .scriptures, Tripitaku , to Pagan, together with the M on king and a large number p f Mon captives* M on culture from Thaton was introduced into Pagan, and had a significant influence upon the traditional culture of Burma. Tantric-Mahayanistic Buddhism of Pagan was replaced by H inayana B u dd­ hism from Thaton. The Burinan adopted M o n script in order to write their language. The successive kings of Pagan Dynasty built numerous pagodas and tem­ ples, and inscribed theindeeds o f merit on slab stones. Religious practices in southern Burm a might have been, however, a mixture o f Hinayana Buddhism and Brahmanism. Nanpaya shrine where captive king o f M on lived, contains bas-reliefs o f Brahma on the inner pillars. t Kings o f Pagan dedicated;vast lands and a number of slaves to Pagodas and teniples which they built for

why Ava fought with Pegu was mainly due to the need o f A va to have access to a seaport. The sixteenth century was a remarkable age for Europe. Trade between West and East begun in this century. Pegu, the capital of M on Kingdom, enjoyed a long peiiod of prosperity through foreign trades. Meanwhile, Toungoo was getting stronger and stronger after the decline of Ava. Two rulers o f Toungoo, Tdbins/nw/iti and Buyinnuung. con solidated their positions over the Mons and the Shans, and achieved to unify Burma for the second time in her history. The kingdom thus founded utilizing Portuguese mercenaries, was called the Toungoo Kingdom in the middle o f the 16th century. Most o f the Shan states were forced to accept Toung o o ’s suzerainty and became under the indirect control o f the Toungoo. The Shan Sawbwas (gover­ nors) were permitted |o retain their feudal rights as in the past., The successive king? o f Toungoo. adopted nepotism. In fact, the governors of all the provinces o f Burma were royal brothers. Their loyalty to the king was by no means certain and C U L T U R A L H IS T O R Y

5

a series o f incidents in 1851. The Governor-General p f India proclaimed that the Pegu Province was annexed as a part o f ¡the British Burm a. Burma requested the withdrawal o f British forces from Pegu province, but in vain. Anglo-French rivalry has been played out in the Southeast Asia since 18th century. The English advanced into Burm a, while the French extended their control overvCochinchina. I t became more severe in the latter half o f the 19th century in order to secure their own advan­ taged. The British were suspicious o f the intensions o f the French who wpre pursuing an aggressive policy even into Burm a. O n the other hand, Burm a endeavoured to built up relations with European countries, particularly France and Italy. The British merchants in R angoon requested to the Government o f India for the annexation o f Kingdom o f Burm a. The Governor-General o f India sent an ultim atum to the King o f Burma in November o f 1885, to the effect that the King o f Burm a should comply with the demands o f the Governor-General o f India. The direct cause o f this issue o f the ultim atum was a decision made by the Government o f Burma u

to levy a fine upon the B om bay Burm ah Trading Corporation for the illegal extraction o f teak from ,the royal preserves. The Burmese reply was regarded as an unconditional refusal to the u ltim atum . The Governor-General

rebellion broke out easiiy. The kingdom o f Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung collapsed once in 1599, but vvás restored by a des­ cendant o f Bayinnaung with a new name o f Nyaungyun. At first, Pegu was rebuilt as the political and commercial capital o f the kingdom. The capital was then transferred to Ava, some 650 km far from the sea, in 1635. The Burman lost their window to the outside world by this withdrawal to the inner region. In these days, the royal palace was guarded by units o f musketteers. Administration was practised separately by each of five organs, including the Council of State (Hluttaw). Peoples belonged by birth or by marriage to certain social classes. Non-^ Burman prisoners were organized into varioffs regi­ ments such as cavalry, musketteer etc.. Nyaungyan Dynasty was attacked by Mons and collapsed in 1752. Alaungpaya, as the national leader against the M ons, united the scattered B urm an and founded the last Burmese |cii]gdom, the Konbaung line, which lasted for next one hundred and thirty years. Troubles broke out one after another between the Burm a and the East India C o m p an y in 19th centilry. W ar was declared by the C o m p an y against Burm a in March o f 1824, and concluded by the Treaty o f Yandabro in, 1826. Burm a was forced to pay a large indemnity, cede two coastal provinces o f Arakan and Tenaserim, yield her suzerainty over Cachar Jaintia and Manipur. The Second Anglo-Burmese W'ar arose out o f 6 C U L T U R A L H IS T O R Y

of

India

ordered

the military

forces to proceed to Mandalay, the capital o f the Kingdom o f Burma. The British met with no resis­ tance at all. M andalay was occupied on 28th of November, and Thibaw, the King o f Burma, sur­ rendered. It was 1948 when Burm a regained her inde­ pendence from the British. Sixty three years has passed since B urm a lost her sovereignty in 1885. 0

BUDDHIST A RC H IT EC T U RE According to the descriptions o f the Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, King Asoka sent a religious mission of the Buddhist monks So-na-and Uttara in the 3rd century B.C. to Suvannabhumi, which has been identified by some scholars with Thaton, the ancient capital o f M o n . It is quite curious, however, that the earliest epigraphic records fo un d in Burma is not from Thaton but from an ancient ruin called by Burmese Tharekhettara which might have been recorded Shih-li-cha-ta-lo by Chinese pilgrims of the seventh century. The introduction o f H in d u and Buddhism appear to have been taken place not later than the 6th centqry. Religious edifices like Stupas and temples can be still seen at the outside o f the city walls o f Tharekhettara. Three tall Stupas, Bawbawgyi, Payagyi and Payama, were constructed with bricks in cylindrical shape. T hey were erected to enshrine some relics o f the Buddha. Temples such as Bebe, Lemyethna, East and West Zegus are unanimously square in plan, and characterized

A temple is a hollow \aulteJ building lot cnsluiu ing the Buddha iuKu;e It ¡‘ a. square in shapt. with o r ’without protecting porches or \estibules. A seties o f receding root use above the sanctum and tiuallv a bell-shaped stuna. l l v o ,ue two distinct t>p*‘s of temples in Pa;'an. I he !i- t e a vaulted saiktum (image c h a m b e i) with an entrance projecting on either direction o! the . ardinal pt>ints. Another has four entrances in each directiofi ol the eartlinaI points. In such temple, a htndi stone pillar is occupy ing the '..'enl'T *t ' 1h

sanctum. I he squatc femple.s dominated I - ..Ion influence are distinguished In their dark e oiit'^a together with pet fora ted w mdows. Brick mona.stet ic of late Paaan period are often of two storeys.

The prime purpose o f these building is to enshrine the image of Buddha. I his style and structure seems to have been a proto type o f Pagan temples and Pagodas. Architectural and artistic activities in Pagan began from the time when a considerable number of Mon artists and craftsmen had brought from í h a to n to Pagan b\ Anawrahta in 1057. Religious buildings found in Pagan are also constructed with bricks like as those found at Tharekhettara. I'hov consist of Pagodas and temples. The Pagoda K basically in the form o f a bell-shaped 'dome (andagarbha) with receding terraces and four-sided pinnacle called Sikhara above which rises a series .of concentric mouldings ending in a finial (Yasu) and an umbrella (Chalira), The term Zedi is applied to such structure. Shwezigon Pagoda said to have been built by Anawrahta írná Kyansittha, consists of a bell-shaped dome standing on three terraces and an octagonal-base with a finial above the dome. It is regarded as a prototype o f later Burmese Pa­ godas. The distinctive feature of the Pagoda like Sapada and Pehin^yaunu: which followed ihe sl>ie of Sinhalese Stupa is the preservation o f the cubic relic-chamber (Harmika) above the dome.

. i

with a cylindrical pinnacle above basic si ructur e.

I

I M A t W O F 151.iI>I>I 1 in the sanctum o f the ¡trick temples at Pagan is enshrined the, Buddha image of bricks with a stuccoed $ . . . . surface. They consist of three tvpes. Ihe first ¡s seated cross-legged with right leg on left and have both the soles o f the feet visible, ( his type of seated Buddha, is mostly shown touching the earth with the right hand and openim.! the left hand on the knee with fingers all outst i etched, representing the Buddha's attainment of Omniscience, In the Lokahtcikpau templescan be seen one of the m o s t typical images of the eahh touching Buddha. Ihe second is a standing Buddha with various gesture o f hands. Some represent their right hands elavating and benting with the palm turned outward, at! the fingers being outstretched and elevated, and their left, hands pendant with its palm outward and finger stretched. The most prominent image of this tvpc is to be found in the ;\'a,uavon temple. Others show their hands raising and palms facing each other as if they were turning a wheel. This tvpc of stand ing Buddha rs enshrine! in ¡ I k Aiu/ndt: temple. Tour standing Buddhas I aemg each direct ion o! the cardinal ¡ H u n t s in this temple represent the P rc e o i i , • C U L T ’ U R AT 1 US T O R Y

7

Shwem au daw Pagoda, reconstructed,Pegu,

photographed by So ne Simatrang.

Buddhas such as Kakusanda, Konagamatu ^ Kassapa and Gotamu. The third is the recumbent image o f Buddha lying on his right side, head, to left, right hand under the head, left stretched along the body. This figure represents G o ta m a Buddha on his death bed (Purinirvanu) between two S&l trees at Kusinagara. Two reclining images of Buddha are to be seen ai Pagan, one is on the west side o f Manuha temple and another Shinbin Thalyaung, west o f Shwehsaridaw Pagoda. The head o f former image poinis 10 the north, while that o f the latter to the south. Apart from them, numerous' terracotta bas-reliefs and stone sculptures illustrating thé principal events in the Buddhas life until his Attainment o f Enlighten­ ment, as well as scenes from Jakata stories, are to be found in and out of the A n a n d a temple, which is situated to the east of the city walls of Pagan.

W A L L PAINTINGS Almost all temples at Pagan contain wall paintings of various designs. The main function o f these paintings appears to be embellishment, creation of an atmosphere o f solemnity and illustration o f the life o f the Buddha. The paintings are drawn on the soffit, the^ wall o f the hall and the outer 8

C U L T U R A L H IS T O R Y

and inner walls o f «the sanctum. The main theme o f the wall paintings is the Eight Great Events of the* B u ddha, together with the Jakata stqries. The Eight Scenes are composed o f the Nativity, the Enlightenment, The First Sermon, the Twin Miracles, Descent from the Tavatirasa Heaven. Parileyyaka Retreat, Taming o f the Elephant Nalagiri and the Parinirvana. The scenes from the Jakata stories, particularly, the M ahanipata, the Last Fen stories have been well known a nd'draw n on the both sides o f the interior walls o f the hall or the sanctum. All o f them were painted in square panels following basically in the order of the Sinhalese a in o n with slight differences. Below each panel, there is the name o f the Jakata legends in Pali followed by the identity o f the Buddhasattva in that particular existence in archaic M o n or Burmese. The Therava dins in Pagan period recognized the Previous B u d ­ dhas beginning with T hanhankara and ending with Kassapa. A series o f these twenty eight Previous Buddha is also painted as a frieze at the top o f the wall. The main contents o f the wall paintings at Sagaing, Pinya, M andalay and other districts, painted in 17thj and 18th century A . D . , are also scenes from the life o f Buddha and from the Jakata tales.

PART TWO

Reproducing traditional Burmese designs seen and studies 1

U A Y E M Y IN T k

i

L A N D OF A R T A N D C U L T U R E ' Mandalay is the last capital of Burmese kings. As it was the c list 6 m in ancient times to assign art and artists to their respective quarters, so in M a n ­

goda^ which houses the great image taken from Arakan in 1786, Yatanamyinzu Pagoda built around 1480, Kyauktawkyi at Mandalay Hill (also called

dalay and environs today there are generations of artists residing and working in areas belonging to them. All types of work o f art are to be found. Mandalay was founded by King. M intoun (185278) of the Konbhaung dynasty in 1858 and continued to be the royal capital in the reign of his son King Thipaw (1878-85). It served- -as a capital city for

(M ahalaw kamaya/ein or M a h alok a m a ra jina , 1857),

27 \ears. Here still remain city walls, ancient works of and monasteries. 1 he town dal ay Hill and-Yankin Hill,

the old moat and the art, numerous pagodas boasts two hills, Man$/itli their rows o f pa­

godas and monasteries and open rest-houses or / ( / i H e r e in Mandalax are the M aham uni P a ­

k a u n g h m u d a u Pagoda,Sagaing. 10 T R A D I T I O N A L D E S IG N

Shweikyimyint, where can be found Buddha images belonging to a succession: of ancient kings, Thek kyathiha (or Sakyasiha), Piniawya built by Pugam Min (1846-52), and Inany other famous pagodas. A m on g the monasteries are Atumashi 1aij; (Mahaatul’a weyanj 1857) famous for its art works, Myata.ung K y a u n g 4 , Sanlm Kyaung, Shwei Kyaung (1880), Kinwun M in k y i’s Kyaung, the second Shwei Inpin Kyaung, and many others. i k>atmi; or Ky;amg I ink is Bui iucnc lor moiutsiei >

p h o tograp h ed by Sonc Sim atrang.

1

It is in these numerous pagodas, monasteries and zayaps that works o f art belonging to the ancient times are to be discovered. A ro u nd the M a h am u n i Pagoda, in Kyauksistan and T am paw ati, live and work stone masons, wood sculptors, coppersmiths, lacquerware artists, goldinlay artists, and ivory sculptors ; in M yekpayap

O f the pagodas the most noteworthy are Shweisaka, Snweikan-oup, Shweilinpin, Hsinkyo Shweigu and Shweigukvi (built 1174, renovated 1782), Puh-

quarter artists skilled in applique and m aking goldleaves ; in Asheipyin or East quarter weavers o f ‘over-a-hundred-shuttle’ fabrics ; in the old Shei-

totawkyi (Mahavijayaramsi, cir 1816), Taungthaman Kyauktawkyi (Mahasakyaramsi, cir 1847), Shweikyekyek, Shweikyekkya (16th cent.), Yatanagu, Shweihpaya, Nagayoun, and in the east Mebhayekkoun, Zaungkalei Kuthoultaw and others. There are monasteries with works of art in them such a§ Shweigukyi Kyaw-aung Sanhta, Puhtotawkyi

tawpyei ward lapidaries ; in M yaukpyin or N orth Quarter weavers ; at Eintaw ya Pagoda um brella

T h a yekta w , Y o u p s o u n 'Kyaung, T a u n g th a m a n Kyaungtaik, Bakaya Kyaungtaik, Metaw Kyaung,

painters.

Thamitaw Kyaungtaik, Pyiy Kyaungtaik. Some are in ruins now, while some have been burnt down.

OLEJ'CAPITALS I AM ARAPURA

The works o f A marapura Period differ consi­ derably from those o f Mandalay. ( /

ii Ava

To the south o f M andalay lies the old capital city,

To the southwest o f Atharapura, on the south bank

o f Arriarapura. It was -founded in 1783 by Badon M in or Bhotaw (1782-1819) o f the K onbhaung dynasty. Except for Bhakyilaw Sagaing M in all the succeeding kings--I hayawati M in alias Shwebo M in (1837-39) and Pagan M in (1846-52)—liad their capitals there. It remained the capital for forty-

o f the river Douthtawati, lies the old city o f Ava or Inwa. Ava was founded In 1364. It had been the royal

five years. As it has been a capital, there are pagodas,

capital city four times and remained so for nearly four hundred years. Its history is on e,o f revolutions and wars, which is whs the city has more ruins than it should although it flourished as a capital

monasteries and works o f art in all parts o f the town.

still find wiiat remains o f a treasure trove o f ancient

city for so long.

But

the observant

student can

Shwenatldaw monastery, Alanadalay, photographed by Sonc Simatrang.

TRADITIONAL DESIGN 11

works o f art here. One can admire (he stucco car­ vings at Nanlawya, Htihlaingshin pagoda and Nanmalaw (Queen) Me N u ’s monastery and fall in love: with the wood sculptures at Bakaya monastery.

ill FINVA In the southern neighbourhood of Ava, at Tanta-u, is Finya the oid capital (Vijayapura). Pinya was a royal capital from about 1309 to about 1315. •

IV S A G A INC* To the west, on the right bank o f the Irrawaddy, lies the old capital city of Sagaing (Siskaing, Maha/eyyapura). Begun in 1315, it continued to be the capital for about fifty years-tifl 1364. Famous pago­ das in the city are H tupayoun (1444), Hsinmyashin, Ngahtapk\ i (1657). the gieat k aim g h m u law (Kaja¡namcula.. 1636) anti others. Sagaing is a town of anisic and craftsmen. Ywalr taung in the southern section of Sagaing is famous tor its silverware. Traditional Burmese toys are made in Sagaing. The town also produces ‘overa-hundred shuttle' silk fabrics. Sagaing Hill is a sanctuary of holy souls dotted with numerous ancient pagodas, monasteries and nunneries. There amidst the greenery of the wooded hilK are old pagodas with works of the ancient masters dedicated to them. To trudge up hill and down dale in search of these ancient works o f art in dilapidated buildings is inspiration itself. In Minvvun and M in k u n ridges, which are the northern continuations o f Sagaing Hill, are to be found works dating back to three hundred years and thereabouts. At M in ku n you will marvel at the hillock of bricks that was to have been King B a d o n ’s Mahaceti Pagoda (1781), part of the giant lion that was to guard the never to-be-finished pagoda, the ninety-ton great bell (1790), Mva Theintan Pagoda (1816), Momeit knoll, other pagodas, m o ­ nasteries and nunneries. «■ * ;; ■ v -i;

MY C H IL D H O O D

S hw ednbin monastery / Mandalay, photographed by Sone Simatrang.

young life-I was then about six years oldT-to have seen these figures being drawn before my eyes O f course, at that time I was not old enough to rep^rduce the figures the old man had drawn from memory. But he c ou ld n’t draw much either. Perhaps he was not a properly trained artist. Anyway the idea came to me that it would be nice to dra\v those things although one c an ’t say that it was an am bition. ■ : ? In my childhood I accompanied my parents and

I was born in Mandalay, that city of ancient arts and crafts, on 2 February 1930. From my father I

relatives on visits to pagodas and had been to fairs. In this way I visited M a h am un i, Kyauktawkyi, Taungpyoun, Yatanagu, and Shweisayan on"'their

inherited artistic talents and from my mother skills '.'■nh the hands. From a very young boy I used to

festive days. It was their (hat I came to admire h lion figure1; in all their beauty, grandeur strength

spend very little time m play like most children. I would spend what free time 1 had sitting down alone in a corner drawing pictures. 1 seldom drew scenery. I was strong in drawing hum an figures

mil fierceness. The colourful paintings depicting the B u d d h a ’s birth-stories instilled Buddhist thinking into one. W alking round the pagoda after prayers one saw various other figures : sphinxes, makaras

and animals. There used to live at the back o f our house an elderly gentleman called U Hpei O who wandered

gods), Sakra (King of gods), Vasundhara (Goddess of

from'place to place selling spectacles. The old fellow would take my slate sometimes and draw elephants, ogres, and snatches o f floral' designs in the tradi­ tional Burmese style. It was the first time in my 12 T R A D I T I O N A L D E S I G N

(sea-mopsters), ogres, devas (gods), brahmas (higher Earth), swans, dragons, garudas (giant birds), nayas (kind o f mythical animal), and learnt of the mean­ ings each one conveys. W hen you went to strike the great bell, there on the hanger were bronze figurines telling part o f a tale. Parents would expalin

R o o f o f Shw enandau monastery, M andalay,

photographed by Sone Simatrafag.

these tilings to their children to the best o f their

Japanese counterparts in that they lack mobility,

knowledge. Those parents who are well-read in Buddhist scriptures and know something o f Bud­ dhist art would make satisfactory explanations while those who d o n ’t have much knowledge o f these things themselves could tell you very little. I was lucky. M y parents were well versed in things

sophistication and crcativeness, but they have their own charm as expressions of Burmese artistic idio­ syncrasies. lake, tot example, the palm-leaf fish you can buy at the lairs accompanying the Taungpyoun or Yatanagu festivals. You know it is a fishit has all the characteristics o f a fish. It is made from the palm leaf which is a local material. The technique o f making this toy fish is quite simple. It is cheap. If you hang it at home, you will find

Buddhistic and I came to understand and appre­ ciate Buddhist art from a very young age. 1 liisl came to have glimpses o f traditional Burmese designs from the im prom tu d raw ings 'of old U Hpei 0 ( I

, it to be durable.

came to admiie and appreciate Burmese =Buddhist ; : art when 1 went on a pilgrimage to the pagodas,. d o i n g down To the fair that a c c o m p a n ie d t h e pagoda festival I came to shops dealing in all mariner of works o f art. There were toys on sale. Pyistairtghunmg (doll that will stay standing however hard you throw it about), yumiii\ or girl dolls, iipowu or plum p boy, zctwgyi :or j magician, elephants, puppet horse, tigers, cocks, birds—all these toys have a fascination to me, a childish infatuation which 1 will never outgrow. When I was a child my father worked as a clerk in a Japanese department store called ‘S .H . Y a m a d a ’ and there 1 came into contact with all kinds of Japanese toys which were a delight to all children. Burmese

traditional

toys

are quite

unlike

their

' ? l I ' ^ Y T E A C H E R S '' j J ijj Maydalay lived an old artist named U Saw ;•. \ f; Mining, who was famous lor his paintings of BudI I ! dhist Jatakas or birth-stories, and was a recipient o f the honorary title ‘Alinka-kvawswa.’ IJ Saw M a u n g ’s father was Hsaya Ei, a well-known painter from the late Yatanapon Period. Hsaya Ei was 1 known for his accuracy in depicting the court cos­ tumes o f the Yatanapon Period and the son U Saw M a un g was able to follow in the father’s foot-steps. The Jataka paintings o f both Hsaya Ei and U Saw M aung can be seen it> the precints of Eintawya Pagoda, Mandalay. Kutholtaw and Kyauktawkyi pagodas at the loot of Mandalay Hill and other places. T R A D IT IO N A L D E S IG N

I

15

Shwedagon I }agod;i,RangooiL

. photographed >by Sone Simatrang.

tice to his friend hut had to give up the idea at the outbreak of war. After the war I had the oppor­ tunity of listening to lectures o n art by IJ Saw Maung.

the fascination for traditional Burmese designs which I entertained from a child, and U Khin M a un g’s ideas on art-all combined to enable me to look at Burinyse works o f art in a new light. When the movement for national independence and reconstruc­

He used to illustrate his lectures with drawings of

tion began in earnest in post-war Burm a, writers

parts o f the court costumes of Yatanapon Period. He would then explain the terminology o f the dresses as well. Thus i came to notice the importance of the costumes and their respective terminology, l ater, when 1 began in earnest to worlf on my research into traditional Burmese art designs, I realised all the more how i m p o r t a n t a knowledge o f the terms is. From a youth of 18 1 started learning art with U Kywe I ei, a relative, for tjjirt'e years. What he taught me was the rudiments o f commercial art. Then i studied fundamentals o f design and fine art with U Khin M aun g, a bank manager and a nonprofessional artist. I also studied books on art and design from all parts o f the world. Then I took up a correspondence course on art. In this way I mastered the skill to reproduce on paper or canvas what 1 see with my eyes. When 1 was a young man at school, I .came

and artists got themselves busy in an all-out effort to work for a renaissance o f the national culture. I had originally wanted to be a painter. But having come into contact with Burmese art works and seen their beauty, I matje a- point o f copying them and studying in a historical perspective, and em ­ barked myself on the path o f traditional iiurmese design. I began studying Burmese art from an age of 25. I started making drawings o f the various works o f art found at Shweikyimyint Pagoda in Mandalay, which date to some eighty or a hundred years. The stucco carvings in the arch varies one from the other. How artistic and difficult the work is— various petals, buds, fruits, flowers, one stem-pass­ ing over the other—you' realise only when* you sit down to copy them. It is the same with the w o o d ­ work : depictions o f Jataka stories in thayo relief,

U Saw Maung and my father were schoolmates. My father had though of sending me as an appren­

to admire the patriotism of my old headmaster. The nationalism 1 thus embraced from my youth, 14

T R A D I T I O N A L D E S IG N

fyuddha images, sedan chairs, umbrellas with h\ntha designs o f them. All these were subjects to copy and study.

During (lie second world war iny family tied to lake reluge al the tool of Mandalay Hill and le mained there for two years. Here I came to be acquainted with the stucco, wood and other works of art to be found at the shrines both at the foot and on top of the hill. There were paintings tob. I he two lions at the foot of the hill came to be works of art 1 never tired of admiring. These works bv the old masters commissioned by the hermit I

M ia m i have become classics.

LEA RN IN G FROM THE O L D MASTERS 1 l o m f ()54 for about twenty-three years 1 worked as if des;en('i with the government. Whenever ! was oil ¿luts I went all alone on a study tour of pagodas and monasteries where ancient works of art could be found and copied them. It was in these old pa­ godas and monasteries unfrequented by most people that rare works could be found unimpaired. fo see the ancient works again and again and record them in drawing was a kind o f exercise to me. It adso led to a better understanding o f the ideas and techniques of the old masters. It enabled me to distinguish between-good ^vork and bad. G r a d ­ ually I learnt to discern repit it ions, variations and innovations in the designs. In my research into traditional Burmese designs I had no teacher n'or books of reference. !t was a realisation arrived at after repeated visits to ancient places and making numerous copies o f tfie works there.

their colour combinations quite serious. The motifs are taken from the Buddhist lataka stones. All these wonderful paintings of Pagan are a witness to the enthusiasm and industry of the artists as well as the religious favour of the sponsors. The paintings, sculptures, masonry, and archi­ tecture of Pagan are the pride of our nation. 1 was strengthened in my belief in the traditional Burmese design. A student of Burmese culture will never have perfected his knowledge until he has seen with his own eyes the works of art o f Pagan. A m o n g the pagodas with works o f art to attract one are : Kupyaukkyi at Wekkyi-in Kupvaukkyi at M vinkapa, I ’uhtothamya. Shweisiykhon, Ananda, Hpayathonsu, Nandapyinnya, Lawkahteippan, Pc nanthagu, five pagodas to the west of Htilominlo, Apeyatana, Nanhpaya, Kvaukku umin, Kontawkyi, Thekkyamuni, Kyansis umin, and others. The Pagan Museum is an inferlsting place, too At Pagan one finds not only the works o f Pagan Period but t h o s e ;of Ava Period and early Kon bhaung Period. Taungbhi Pitaka taik (16th-Pth cent.), Sulamani, Upali theim ( 18th cent.), A nanda brick #ihara (1776 A .D .), Kyaung-u Pitaka-taik "(18th cent.) are places where you can find wall paintings dating to 18th of 19th century. Their colour and composition, the costumes household goods, architectural designs of Pvatthad (turret, spire) structures, floral designs, animals, all aie very interesting as well as educative. With expe­

It was only after 1 had made personal studies of

rience one learns how to identify the age of a.work

ancient works o f art found at Mandalay, Amarapura,

of art, distinguish good work from bad, and guess

Ava, Sagaing,

the thinking and motive of the artist.

M in ku n and their environs that

I

came across books on Burmese culture. There were articles on history of Pugam art and other things

SRIKSHETRA

Burmese by Shweikaingtha (pseudonym o f the abbot Yen. U Thawbita), his book Dress Styles, the writings oi /aw gyi, Min 'Thuwan and Dagon Natshin, the

Of* the many historical sites I have been to, one is Thayeikhittaya or Srikshetra. located ab6ut five miles to the east of Prome, the ancient capital o f the Pyu seems to have flourished from the fifth

magazine Culture, and publications o f the Archaeo­ logy Department. All these books are good intro­ ductions to the art of Pagan. The famous Burmese* artist U Ba Kyi published in 1954 a book on the life of the Buddha with his own illustrations done in a new sivle of Burmese ait. The book was received with enthusiasm b\ those interested in Burmese a n , and 1 was filled with admiration.

PAGAN - OUR TREASURE HOUSE

'

It was onlv in I960 that I got to Pagan on a study tour. The works of art at Pagan are classics datable to over 900, or 700 years o f the Christian era. To me the real Pagan that stood before my eyes was far more amazing than the Pagan I had found in books. My admiration knew no bounds. Pagan is the living Musee des beaux arts o f Burma. There are the murals and the floral and vegetal designs on the ceilings. The designs are extremely diverse, sssicmatically

organised,

bold,

detailed,

precise*

to tenth century A . D . What most interested me here are the gilded Buddha image, the silver casket with a Buddha image embossed, cla^v votive tablets, hells, bronze figurines o f musicians and dancers, coins, minia ture pagodas, stone sculpture o f a w o m a n ’s head, other works of. art in stone, potsherds, beads of figurines etc. Thanks to the efforts of the A rchaeo­ logy Department, the earliest works o f Buddhist art in Burma have come to light.

BEITTHANO Situated between Taungtwinkyi and Magwe, Beit thano appears to have been a capital city of the Pyus flourishing long before Srikshetra. Excavations now expose the base of brick buildings. What inte­ rest me are coins,

beads and figurines, parts of

plaster works, designs on potsherds, bronze lions and small brick lions. ; T R A D IT IO N A L D E S IG N

1-

p ix a

m Burma. To name a lew,,we have the ait of ivory

( H A N T H A W A D l ) Y O R H A M S A V A T I)

carving, applique, aeheip weaving, earthenware, glazed earthenware, lapidary (Panywe), cabinet-

I lie old capital city of the Mons abounds in religious monuments and pagodas ol live hundred years ago. What draw my ^mention here are glazed clay plaques, sione sculpture of the miniature pagodas like, the ones at Kyaikpun pagoda, the inscription at Kalyani Sima or theim (ordination hallf, the origin ol ma-

making, minting coins, glass and gold inlay, bamboo and rattan work, silversmith, m aking toys, and many others. i Design is indispensable to any o f the arts and crafts. Burmese artists o f old seemed not to have

o f women in the glazed plaques are just wonderful.

learnt ‘design’ as a subject o f study at a particular place o f learning or with a proper tutor. But the

MYOIIAIJINC; (MRAUK-IJ)

works of art they created leave no doubt that they understood the principles o f design. Variations

in thif ancient, city o f Arakan or Rakhaing, built somp 500 years ago, stone sculptures in high relief,

and adaptations to suit the given time, place and m o tif are possible only through a thorough under­

at the Shitthaung pagoda, small pagodas, differept styles of coiffure of the figures of ladies at Htukkhan-iheim temple, and ancient weaving instruments

standing o f principles o f design. There is ample evidence that our artists o f old understood lines, size, significance, organization, form, etc., which constitute the fundamentals of design.

nussiha or sphinx, and old pagodas.

I he dresses

are of immense interest to'me.

ten f l o w e r s o r m o r e ? The Burmese traditionally recognise ten arts or crafts known as ‘the ten flowers,’ because the Burmese name for each art begins with the word 'pan', meaning ‘ flower.’ The ten are : 1 Panpe - blacksmith’s craft 2 Panteim - goldsmith’s craft 3 Pantiy - coppersmith’s craft ^ 4 Pantaw - stucco carving 5 Pantamaw - stone sculpture 6 Panyan - masonry 7 Panpu - wood carving 8 Panpul - the turner’s craft 9 Panchi - drawing and painfmg 10 P'anyun - lacquer craft In point ot tact, this -kind ot enumeration is iar from complete. There are more than ten ails and crafts

IN T ERFLO W OF ART , A m o n g r'the ancient works of art in Burm a, one will find styles that closely resemble those of the ‘west’ (meaning India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan) and those that are akin to the ‘east’ (meaning Ch in a, Kampuchea, Thailand). O f course, as with religion, trade or warfare, there lias been an interflow o f art ynd culture among nations. History records numerous instances of such ex­ changes. Although there are such styles tfuy look like those of the ‘east’ or ‘ west’ , one must say they form only a small minority. For even when they adopt a style that comes’»from a foreign source, the Burmese artists make a point o f adapting it to suit the native taste. In other words, they burmanise it. If you make a comparison o f the designs like lions. Kinnara and Kinnari, sphinx or maims

M itral paint ing in ,4 nan da ( )k ky noting, Pagan. photographed hv S>nc Simatrang. lo

T R A D IT IO N A L D F S IO N

and how far they differ. I f you take the trouble

In the periods following Pagan -- in Sagaing, Pinya, First Ava, Toungoo, and H anthawaddy -wall paintings came to be fewer in number, and a great number were destroyed. Generations o f Pagan art came to be lost.

to make a study o f the same design throughout the ages, you will see the changes that take place

¡Painting in Ava ,Period was not found is as many places as in Pagan. Where it was found,

at each stage.

the use o f colour was rather limited.-More re^l was used in combinatio n with dry yellowi, green, grey and black.„Most o f the paintings are to be found at Tilokaguru Cave in Sagaing, Lawka-hrnankin,

siha, costumes o f devas, Sakra, Brahma, fh arps, drums, oboes, patterns o f ‘over-hundred-shuttle’ fabrics, floral designs, etc., with their foreign cou n­ terparts, you will realise how far they look alike

F L O R A L DESIGNS OF PAGAN An elderly artist who used to paint Ja taka stories1 and who was well versed in the floral designs o f Y atanapon Period went out o f his way to remark erroneously : ‘ If your sprig o f flower turns first left and ¡then right, it is enough. There is no need lot other flowers to go on in the same w ay.’ In his opinion all the floral designs o f Pagan Period are the same. Furthermore, ‘ if you have mastered the floral design of Y-atanapon Period, there is nothing left to learn about the floral design of P ag an .’ It is obvious he spoke these words without ever making a careful study o f the floral designs of Pagan Period. In fact, the floral and vegetal designs o f Pagan differ considerably from those o f Y atanapon. They have a rich variety. Some are bold and forceful ** . while others are tender and delicate. Whether it is a painting, wood sculpture, stucco or stone carv­ ing, you can recognise a work o f art to belong to Pagan the moment you see it. The kweklehsek (cluster of joined patterns) designs in the ceilings have so many variations from the basic kwektek designs (patterns at intervals). The whole width of the ceilings o f cave temples is beau­ tiful with these kweklehsek designs, the pan sekwun * (circles of flowers) in the centre, and htaung, hsek pan or vertical flowers coming up an masse from the corner in the base. Surely these artists o f old must have had a sophisticated system as well as very fine precision instruments. I

M U R A L PAINTINGS : In Pagan [tainting, whether it was done the whole width o f the temple’s interior or part o f it, we find the composition to be systematic and grac eful.; ' It was more detailed than in later ages. M ore f l o r a l ! scrolling was used, in various sizes and styles! The » '.j; designs were o f a high ^standard. Regarding the 1 use of colours, there was some control in contrast­ ing yellow, brown and grey against red and black. In later Pagan we find the striking use o f jade colour, which produces a wonderfully serene effect; All these date to 11th and 13th centuries. Recently, a piece of canvas done during the Pagan Period was discovered inside the broken hand o f a Buddha image, and the painting executed in minute detail' and bright colours is a wonder to the modern spgctator.

the caves at H po w in (Hpo-u) hills, salinkyi town­ ship, and. Taungbhj Pitakataik (library), Pagan. A few can be seen at Salei, Hseiphpyu, Pakhankyi, Yeisakyo, and others. W e have more paintings of K o nbhaung Period than those o f Ava. They are more colourful and lively. Red, green, and grey, in various tones and shades, are used to make a vivacious picture. As to motifs, there are not only those based on B u d­ dhist birth stories but themes from social life as well. Famous places ttf find them include Ananda brick monastery at Pagan, Kyaung-u library at Nyaung-u, K h inm u n, I aungmaw-u at Ywathiskyi at Sagaing. Design drawings became less popular and for the first time drawing from nature came to the fore. Perspective was introduced. In

mid-Konbhaung

or A m a ra p ura

Period

the

composition in mural paintings underwent a change. Use o f perspective became more commonplace. Profiles have not gone out o f the fashion yet. in painting the human face, either the two-third profile or front view was the rule. True profiles were few. Floral and vegetal designs are scarce. Blue is the colour most com m only used. Famous wall paintings are to be fo und at Taungthaman Kyauktawkyi at A m arap ura and U K u la ’s Pagoda at Shweisayan. D uring Yatanapon or Mandalay Period more painting was done in folding books called purapaik and on canvas than on the wall. The wall paintings at M a h a m u n i Pagoda in Mandalay were executed in later Yatanapon Period but the styles conspicuous­ ly belong to the older period. Similar styles can be found at Shweihlaingywa at P akhokku (on the Nyaun-u-Kyaukpantaung motorway) and some other places. Most o f these paintings have been copied and collected by th$ Archaeological Department, Burm a. A bou t thirty years ago an exhibition of traditional Burmese painting through the five ages was held (in 1954?).

PU R A R A IK PAINTINGS The paintings in purapaik or folding books are more detailed. They even use gold ink or gold colour. Lines as delicate as if drawn with a pen are drawn w'ith a brush. O f the various purapaik paintings I have seen, the one I like best is a small T R A D IT IO N A L D E S IG N

t

17

one depicting dress styles now in possession of the

Pagan , flower desings in the interior o f the portal

Burmese Department, Mandalay University. Another admirable one .is a purapaik in colour at Zeitawun

at Kyaukku-umin, Nyaung-u ; Nanhpaya, Myinkapa ; plaques portraying the 550 Buddhist birth-stOries

Monastery, Monywei, Monywa. The third is the one depicting Mount Meru amid the four great islancjs, at the Department of Culture. 1 have also seen a purapaik made out o f palm

at Puhtotawkyi, Amarapura ; Kyeilekhsek Cheitawya,

leaves with pictures (Mount Meru and four islands) drawn with a stylus. The drawings are detailed, graceful and lively. Water colours 0Y1 canvas depicting families (not natural but stylised) seem to have been in vogue in the late Yatanapon Period. A canvas recently seen describes the Mandalay Palace, the moat, the city wall, and royal boats executed neatly in minute detail. From the wall paintings and purapaik paintings o f ¡he various historical periods we can learn much about the dress styles, patterns, carriages and palan­ quins, things o f everyday-use,, -floral and vegetal designs, lettering, composition, stylised images of water, earth, trees, clouds, mountains, etc., the human face, the use o f colour^and other elements of design.

W O O D SCULPTURE Most of the wood sculptures of Pagan and Ava Periods have been lost under various circumstances and only a few are left today. One outstanding wood sculpture belonging to ¿he Pagan Period is the one at the old portal of Shweisiykhon pagoda at Nyaung-u. As for the wood carvings of the ¡alter Amarapura and Yatanapon Periods, there are plenty. Those at Salei Youpson Kyaung, Leitha kyaung, etc., at Salei, and at I'aungbhi and Leya at Pagan are sculptures belonging to A marapura Period. Those who want to see wood sculptures o f Yata­ napon (Mandalay) or latter Yatanapon periods should visit the following places : Shweinantaw Monastery, M a n d a la y ; Shwei-inpin Monastery, M a n d a lay ; Shweikyimyint P agoda, M a n d a la y ; Bakaya Monastery, Ava ; Taunghpila Monastery, Sagaing Hill ; Nat-luaung M onastery, P ag an ; Youpson Kyaung, A nanda, Pagan ; Shweiku ukin, tanke, pakhokku ; Slnveitanttis, P akhokku ; zayaps at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon. Some sculptors are found to be very skilful at (lower designs but not at figures ; others are good at figures but not so good at flowers ; yet others aic experts at both flowers and figures. H u m a n figures in the wood sculptures o f those days are siyhsed ¡athei than realistic.

A marapura ; plaques depicting the Ramayana, Nat yetaw Pagoda, Butalin ; the great image at Kyauk tawkyi, at the foot o f Mandalay Hill.

M ASON RY in niy$ opin ion, the masonry o f Pagan Period is the highest developed o f all the historical periods. They works are remarkable for their strength, grandeur, beauty o f form, immensity of volume, detailed and appropriate decorations, power to hold the spectator in awe, etc.. The masonry of mid-Arnarapura Period is beau tiful and lively but to be placed only in the second order. I

STUCCO Stucco works o f Pagan Period have detailed deco­ rations. There are even cases where the flowers and figures in relief must have been made in moulds. After Pagan we have stucco carvings of mid-Konbhaung or A m arapura Period, which arc very Bur­ mese in style and very fine. The curled leaves and buds, though few and far between, look very beau­ tiful. The Outseintaung or balustrade llcfwers at Shweigukyi Puhtotawkyi pagoda, A m arap ura, are designs of rich imagination. They show diversity, testifying to the creativeness o f the artists. In P a­ khokku, the buds and flowers in bunches in the centre of the portal at IJkin-t'anke are unique, s Me N il’s brick monastery (Malta Aungmyeibon sam, 1828 A . D . ) at Ava stands magnificently today with wooden pyallhad turrets about it. The great building itself is a work of art to com m and our admiration. The stucco floral and vegetal designs on the staircase are very beautiful.

LACQUERWARE The bnly places to come across works of art in lacquerware called Shweisawa are wooden chests to contain palm leaf and purapaik books, known as sataik in Burmese. They seem to have been in fashion during Konbhaung days. The motifs are usually episodes from the B u d d h a ’s life, birth stories, and flowers. The figures of Sakia, Brahma, and Arahats on the left and right sides o f the Bud­ dha image in some cave temples are found to be in shweisawa lacquerware too. Lacquer artists based their drawings on the dress styles of Y atanapon Period. The terminology o f the

STONE SCULPTURES Very fine works o f art in stoife are to be seen at

designs-is very interesting. Diversity in the shape of the lacquer food c o n t a i n e r s , boxes, bowls, daunt’-

plaques depicting the life of the Buddha at A nanda,

lan tables, trays, makes them attractive. Today the

IS T R A D I T I O N A L D L S I G N

* *

lacquer artists have learnt to make copies o f the dress styles found in Pagan wall paintings. Kanout floral scrolling came to be sparsely used in the Konbhaung Period, buft the figures o f Sakra, Brahma, Naga, garuda, hamsa, etc, are often en­ riched by floral designs o f kanoui-pan and kanouttek. Instead o f following the patterns o f the floral designs imported from Thailand. Even today some design imported from Thailand. Even today some Burmese will call any kanout floral design ‘Yodaya flower.’ (Yodaya = Ayuthia, Burmese name for Thailand). There are scholars who fail to recognise the kanout floral design in its historical stage. The number o f people who can correctly employ the terminology ol the past eras has grown smaller. The same sad thing is happening in other fields o f Burmese culture too. Although we did have in the past terms for all the parts or classes o f concepts, we failed to put therrt on record or publish them in books with the result that the modern student has great difficulty studying the old crafts and arts. Writers Zawgyi, Min Thuwun and others have done something in this direction. A m o n g artists, U Ba Nyan, U Ba Sein, U Ba Tha, and U Saw MaungTiave made considerable contributions. The

Sirivatsa (Bur pron : thiriwissa) = prosperity peacock (in a circle) = the?sun or national pride hare (in a circle) = the moon Lokanat (lord o f the world. Avalokiteswara) = peace The symbols for water, forest, mountain, cloud, sun, moon, river* ocean, lake, universe, Mount Meru, the four great islands constellations, the twelve signs o f Zodiac, signs o f the seven days of the week, and so on and so forth, can be studied in wall paintings purapaik paintings, lacquerware designs, wood and stone sculptures, and the hundred and eight signs o f tlie B u d d h a ’s footprints. Burmese design covers a wide range of subjects. It embraces not just painting and drawing but every branch of Burmese art, sculpture, masonry, architecture. W hat I have tried to present will only serve as an introduction. My studies have convinced me that the old Burmese, if they came across a foreign piece o f work, whether it came from the

Architecture Department has begun some work. A m ong sculptors, Ko win M aung (Tampawati) is trying to explain the old concepts with the help of illustrations We must work hard to learn, describe and put

‘east’ or ‘ west’ , would not hesitate to adopt it, but instead of taking it in its original style, would try to adapt it to suit the Burmese taste. In this connection, ( must mention the need on our part to study the designs in the works o f art belonging to our indigenous races as well. I am just presenting before the reader some as

on record all the technical terms used in traditional Burmese design.

pects o f the numerpus works of the old masters of Burma. Should there be some loss in the aesthetic

SY M B O L S In traditional Burmese design there are symbols to represent certain ideas and concepts. Some exam­ ples are : Kinnari

" kinnara (Burmese pronunciation : keinnayi, keinnaya, animals hum an to the.waist and ostrich downwards) and

^ love Manussiha (Bur pio n : numoutthiha, sphinx) security Chinthei (leogryph or lion) -- courage, majesty hamsa (Bur pron : hintha, swan) unity, attachment garuda (Bur pron : galou, big mythical bird) - strength ; naga (»legless»dragon, .serpent) -■ peace, prosperity yaksha (Bur : bilu, ogre)

quality or beauty o f the original works, it is only my weakness. 1 have travelled and studied to some extent but not all. My findings arc by no means comprehensive. Further research will have to be done. My efforts are just a beginning, an intro­ duction. Nor is my work a textbook on design making. I have invented none of the works presented. A lot of work has to be done. We must standard­ ise the designs we have studied so tar, We must bring them to a system. Exhibitions of the works o f the old masters have to be organised, papers will have to be read, and textbooks will have to be compiled. Such enterprises will result in the founddation o f schools and creation of teachers o f tra­ ditional Burmese design. We will have to preserve the old styles and try to bring out new artists who will create works on these traditional lines. Coope ration between artists inside the country and with those outside will be called for.

protection makara (Bur : makan, sea monster) = diversity, blessing Vasundhara (Bur pron : Wathondayej, goddess of earth) = the earth as witnesh T R A D I T IO N A L D E S IG N

1

,

Design from potsherds

Whoris (suns

with spiral rays?),

Pagan.

R o w o f concentric circles with petals fringes, Pagan.

Standing palm leaf inside circle with fringe o f short rays, Pagan.

Copying the designs from potshards, I could not help

but some do seem to bear a meaning or meanings of some

admiring the rural craftsmen o f the past. O f the designs

kinds. The determination o f the age o f a potsherd depends on the wisdom o f archaeologists and historians. Potsherds from deep down in the strata at Taungthaman, Amarapura, come from very early times, over 2,000 years ago, those

described in this chapter, some I drew myself, some I reproduced from the occasional publications o f the A r ­ chaeology Department, and the others 1 obtained from Dr. Thap H tu n (Professor o f History), U W i n M a u n g (Tampawati), U Khin M a u n g Lei (Nanthonyatana), U Kyaw' Sein (A marapura) and U Than A un g (Pagan).* The potsherds are from various places, from Taiingthaman, H anlin, Beitthano, Srikshetra, Takaung, Pagan, M yohaung (Mrauku-Arakan), Ava, H sim ikhon (Sagaing), A marapura. M any places remain to be explored. W ith more field work, we can expect for more potsherds. Some potsherds came to light during excavations o f the Archaeology Department» while others were unearthed in ploughing, digging, either for wells or to set up posts. Those obtained from the topmost strata belong to a period o f a hundred or two hundred years, those from a lower layer are datable to a thousand or two Thousand

from H anlin, Beitthano, Srikshetra, from the past 1,500 years (between 4th and 9th century A . D . ) , and those from takaung and Pagan from 800 to 1,000 years. P o t­ sherds from Bii Pagoda, Pagan, came to light when the pagoda collapsed in the famous earthquake of 1975, They have been collected by U Than A un g after p lou gh ­ ing the earth. They probably belong to the early part of Pagan btecause the pagoda itself was judged to be a model from that age. The potsherds fr o m M yoh a u ng (Mrauk-u)

are datable to the past 800 years. Potsherds from Ava, Sagaing and A m a ra p ura are copied from U Khin M a u n g Lei (N anthonyatana) and U Kyaw Sein (Amarapura). A jeweller and a goldsmith, U Khin M a u n g Lei possesses the ability to draw minutely years, while some may be even older, 1 had not expected potsherds to be so striking, and to patiently from the potsherds. Their potsherds are possess such high class designs. O n collecting them I was from around one to three hundred years. U W in M a un g amazed. The designs are diverse. They present diversity (Tampawati) is often engaged in field work. * in lines (Straight lines, slanting lines, curves, waves, twists, O u r potters o f pld had not studied designs at schools but they did understand design and created designs. etc.), shapes (circular, square, traiangular, eliptic, crescent, Modern potters ought to study the designs o f the old kite, etc.), and motifs (the sun, IdftuS flower, lotus bud, masters. The designs may be used with benefit in other flowers, bunch o f flowers, sprig o f corn, fan, tree, h u m a n crafts, for example in textiles. being, Srivatsa, Swastika, rain-drop, wave, conch, etc.). Some are identical designs, some similar, but some are quite different from each other. Some designs are just * In m aking the drawings 1 was helped by U A ung Kyi (M aung H seiyo) and Moe M oe, my daughter, a student at Art School. meant to please the eyes and have no special meaning 20 I

POTSHERDS

1 Perhaps raindrops in triangle, fr o in excavations by Archaeology Department at a site west o f I aiing thaman Bridge in Amarapura, Man dalay Division in 1966-67. A complete skeleton discovered. Probably of a neo lith ic village. A p p r o x im a t e l y 3,000 years of age.

2. Waves and lines. Perhaps the t o re r unners o f W a v y uchcits oi Mandalay textiles. From Taungthaiiian excavations.

3. Waves h o m e d by curves. Refined I;rom lau ng th a m a n excavations.

ac/ieit design.

4. A wavy acheit design completely distinct from the above tsso, formed In horizontal lines and slanting pa­ rallel lines. From laungtham an ex­ cavations.

.v Design with swaying leaves and ! cctangles and tr iangles, i io m i aungthaman excavations.

6. l alling ra in drops f r o m lau n g th a m a n .

and

curves,

7. Design with squares and triangles and lines. 1st to 5 th century A . D . from excavations at Beitthano Archaeological D epartment.

by

J

L

J

L

11

11

M

W

S

B

i

i B

B

8. Lines standing on waves. Beitthano.

i 9. Floral design beneath row of squares. Beitthano.

í

f

i

f

í

m

i

) a; o o)

1

—

l

m

r n M M g n xm ow . i .

l

i

l

t

i—

l

10. Perhaps flowers hanging down from a vase. Beitthano.

# 11. Forerunner of latter Bhilu Panhswe

9 9 K EE1 22

POTSHERDS

12. Folding fans in the upper row and bundles of corn in the lower. Beitthano.

! >. KiVws of folding Ians. Beitthano

14, Perhaps twin fish. Beitthano

15. Perhaps par! o f petals or leases Beitthano.

16. Mower in a square frame with beads, Beitthano.

POTSHERDS

23

17. Downward-faci-ng and upturned hands o f lotus petals. Beitthano.

W M UM y yy

m

■ m rrn rm

18. Rows o f upside-down V ’s. Beitthano.

19. H orizo nta l

lines

and

n n i n i i i i m

m in

zigzags.

Beitthano.

M M fA 20. H orizontal lines, Zigzags and upside-down V ’s. Beitthano. 1

AAAAA

24

POTSHERDS

i

IXOKZK*

> W

23 Design with lines. Beitthano

* Z < J O T 'X « I r« 24. Short lines between long ones Beitthano.

25. C i r c u í ar de sig n w i t h h o rn s . Beit

thano.

R

i m

n

s

f ]

lá iá á á A i

26. Design with long and short lines. Beit t hano.

ÎIT â ïZ IS POTSHHRDS

2S

It

27. Dancing human figure with lifted loot inside square frame. Beitthano.

28. Twin fish. Beitthano.

29. Twin fish, swan or lion inside square Irame. Beitthano.

26

POTSHERDS

Í2. Peacock ami sun. Ava.

35. More a swan than and halo. A v a 1 .

a peacock,

33. Better drawn peacock and halo. Ava.

34. Peacock and halo. Ava.

36. Peacock turning its head round inside sunflower. Ava. POPS H ERDS

27

;

í inhibiting

n»' M

li nes.

line

und

chista

of

Beiuhano.

IX. Undulatin g

lines

und

straight

imcv Beiuhano.

W i oui'. petals standing upright in uu\ Beiuhano.

40 S diil’ horizontal lines and short. ■■ei. .U lines. Beiuhano.

Í J -11 lo ng - an d short horizontal' hues and short vertical lines. Beitthano.

4J. 1 ndulating line between horizontal i 11u ■. Beitthano.

2K P O T S H E R D S

43. Lotus petals. BeittMano.

nuUituiH Ü

l 44. Two types of Beilt habo.

45. Row

m

of

undulating

lines.

downward-facing lotu

petals. Beittliano.

m

m

ÿ

'/ / / / / / / / / z 46. Row o f downward-facing lotus petals. Beittliano.

47, Rays o f light above cone-like hills. Beittliano.

«U ni ,Iidfthl»

c.c.œ

>»»® POTSHERDS

29

■48. Conch and vine. Aboui 3rd and ‘^ih century .A.I). From excavations at Haul in by Archaeological Depart­ ment .

4l>. A pecular Snvafsa design. llanlin

50. King-like figure with tall headdress inside square frame. Hanlin.

s|. H um an figure with arms akimbo inside leclangulai líame. I lanlin.

30

POTSHERDS

53.i Flower plant

on m ound

rectangular frame. Hanlin.

5.4. Butterfly? Fish? Hanlin.

POTSHERDS

31

inside

55. Floral design (kanout) inside lotus

56. Four eoneentrie eireles with small

bud encircled by rays. Pagan.

petals. Pagan.

59. Chrysanthem um

with

rounded

petals. Pagan.

60- C h ry sa n th e m u m petals. Pagan. 32

with

POTSHURDS

p o in te d . *

58. C a c lu s. P a g a n .

57. Twig inside lotus petal. Pagan,

61. Design with what looks like Bur mcse letter N. I'toiii excavation neat Bu Pagoda, Pagan. Drawn myself Irom artifact in possession of Ko Than Aung, Archaeological Department

62. Orchids looking like waves. Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

63. Rhombuses and circles. Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

64. Dancers and onlookers. Near Bu \mada. Pagan.

POTSHERDS

U

65. Design with various-sized triangles. Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

66. Chkra wheel inside rhombus. Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

67. Spring o f corn rectangular frame. Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

g i i m i m 'g lb *

68. Flower inside rectangular frame with rows o f pearls along the edges. Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

34 P O T S H E R D S

M . Concentric circles (sun?) and pea­ cocks

Near Bu Pag-ada, Pagrm.

70. Concentric circle with heads (sun'.M. Near Hu Panada, Payan,

7). Mower inside square frame. Neat Bu Pagada, Pagan.

o O OOP o

1

72. H im ha (brahminy duck) inside square surrounded by beads. From a site on the bank of the Irrawaddv opposite Bu Pagada, Pagan.

/ 1°

o/ í W 0 o oo o O POTSHFRDS

73. Flower inside a circle fringed with peíais. Site on the bank opposite Hu Pagada, Pagan.

’4. Mower (or S n v a t s a inside square fringed with beads. Paean.

~\V Circles and drops (of rain?) inside square. Near IJpali Sima, Pagan.

76. Same as above. Near Bu Pagada, Pa iian.

36

POTSHERDS

77,. Bunch of flower inside squai Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

78. Sun with spreading ra\s. Neai Bu Pagada, Paean.

79. I.ion

encircled

by bead-

Pagada, Pagan.

W. Spring of' corn inside a circle of petals. Pagan.

81. Lion on glazed earthenware o f yellowish brown color. Fagan.

82. Fan encircled by petals. Pagan.

83. Flower inside square. Pagan.

84. Concentric leaves. Pagan.

38

circles

POTSHERDS

fringed

with

85. Ci r c l e s a n d lines ( sl ant s, h o n / o n i a l l i nes, c u r v e s ) .

Hagan.

Nti

['attorn w i t h d i a m o n d s

87

Diamond

Iramos.

88.

and

saw -tin':i

Pagan.

Row

petal*.

. I l ow et a n d s q u a r e s .

' 2 0 . S f a r d l o u e r a n d s c j u a R ' 1.

121. M o w e i . c t i í v c s a m i s h o i l

122

I an

iuside

c o n c e n ! i iV

í r i n e e d w i t h short

hnes,

! 2 3 . ( ’n c l e w i l h d o u

124. (. o n c e n ! t ic

Imc

\\a

al om. : hon .

ci rcl es

w ith

ieaw^

a i o i u i ihe b o r d é r .

POTSHEKDS

47

125 Concentric circles and rings o f dots.

i ':o. ( hiikra w heels and stripes. A\ a, \m arapura.

127. R onnd flowers with rays.

128. R hom bs, Stripes, curves.

i 29. Spiral squares.

with

in

wheels

1

48 P O T S H E R D S

inside

130. Stripes and squares. jf

131. Mowers, twigs and stripes.

■132. Spring o f corn inside circle with spreading rays.

133. Leaf inside circle with spreading rays.

134. Four-petalled flower inside circle with rays.

POTSHERDS

49

(35. Four-starred figure inside circle with rays,

136. Toddy frond inside circle with rays.

137. Eight petalled flower inside circle with rays.

138. Eight petalled flower inside circle with rays.

139. Waves inside circle with rays.

50 P O T S H E R D S

"

140. Four petalled flower inside circle with rays.

141. Eight petalled flower inside circle with saw-toothed fringe.

142. Conch-like leaf inside circle with spreading rays.

i

143. Conch-like leaf with stalk inside circle with rays.

$

144. Nosegay o f flowers inside circle with rays.

POTSHERDS

51

! 46. Fish encircled by rays. Amarapura period.

147 Sprig of corn encircled by rays A m arapura period.

148. Standing leaf encircled by ray: A m arapura period.

!49. Eight-leal' flower encircled rays. A m arapura period.

52 P O T S H E R D S

by

i TÁ

á»m t 150. Peacock eaeiiclcd by cays. Amarapura period.

151. Ci ab encircled by rays. Amarapura period.

POTSHERDS

2 Kanout the Burmese floral design

233. f fi” hlv developed Pagan Kanout design with U inlha turning back its neck, from Ko K lim M ating W in , art master, lacquer school, Pagan.

A n y o n e interested in traditional Burmese design just cannot avoid the Kanout patterns. A student o f Burmese design has to begin with Kanout. It is the basic as well as the main m otif. plays an important part in all manner o f Burmese art, in pagodas and other religious edifices, in wall paintings, in lacqucrware, in pum páik and sap paintings. Talking about Kanout, we will have to begin with the Pvu works o f art which existed long before Pagan was founded. In Srikshetra, we find Kanout pattern in the bronze bell found together witty the figures o f m usi­

stylised lion. As a design artist I think it must have Originated in the artist’s endeavour to adapt the flower image to his background. The old artist .... . — satisfied with m aking a true copy o f the natural Ho i with its leaves and stalks and b u d s ,o n the giv n \t kground. In his search for flexible designs he hit upon the idea o f inventing designs that will bend to his needs. Thus was born the Kanout flower then the buds, the" leaves, the stalks, the vines. W hen a pattern was added to another, there arose a design of twin flowers. W hen these were com bined, there was one.* vf;ith four identical flowers. Thus came into being hsekpan (joined flowers), patlepan (flowers in circle), htaungniat pan (vertical flowers), and then all manner o f arabesques o f floral designs like kuvkle and kweknsek. It is my opinion that only after the evolution of stylised flower or kanout patterns the terminology for the designs arose. Thus we have kyah man k, kyalan ,

cians and dancers, and then in the center o f the throne of a Buddha Statue. In broken pieces o f sandstone from Beitthano we find fhe design too. In Pagan the .Kanout patterns in their varied styles are found almost everywhere. 1he cave temples are filled with Kanout c|,esigns executed in elaborate detail. If is true the floral designs from southern and centra! India came to Burm a along with the Buddhist religion. But the Burmese adapted the designs and in n o ­ vations were made. A comparative study o f the tw o. designs will show this. Even in Pagan period the Kanout

■chupan, chunwe, thazinkhwei, hmawtan, uhsaukpan. mankyiyywekhpat, seintaung, vwetan (puletan), saingpaung, yamalekhnyo , etc. : t was fascinated by the k wcktehsck designs in the

designs vary from the early to the middle fo the lattef1 period, according to IJ W in M aung (Tam paw ati) who specialist in Kanout and used it in his draw ing and sculpture. At a first glance the delicate and slender coils and curves look the same. O nly a careful look will show

ceilihgs o f Pagan period. Td paint these veiling designs, one must understand luushpckhsek, leihpckhsck, and kwekhsek techniques. Their works show how skilful the mural artists o f Pagan were with ; 1. Th e width o f the space to be painted.

you how different they are. Various theories exist as to the origin o f Kanout

. 2 . Th£ size o f each design.

it is a development from the drawing o f the lotus flower, the blossom, the leaves, the buds, the stem, and all, while

3. 4. 5. 6.

others arc o f the opinion it has evolved from fhe lion or

7. Subject matter.

floral and vegetal designs. According to some scholars,

54

F L O R A L D E S IG N

The shape.

Kwekfe-kwekhsek technique. Lines thick and thin Shade of color.

'

$

8 . measuring insiruments.

9. Brush and paints. In the period follow ing Fagan, in A va period, very lew Kanout designs are fo u n d . The Kanout designs ol the first A va have not lost the influence o f the latter Pagan.* The Kanout designs o f the murals at T aungbhi library, U pow in (Hpo-u) hill and T ilokaguru, which belong to A va, are found to have clearly parted ways with those o f Fagan. There is not much variety as in Fagan, not as detailed, and they are bigger in size. Although they continue to use ceiling kwektehsek (lowers, theirs do noi come tip to the standard ol the Pagan artists. But spreading as they do throughout the length and breadth of the interior, these Ava murals give out an overall view o f gandeur and style. In early K onbhaung period, the murals inside Sulam am i temple at Pagan contain Kanout flowers which are quite unlike those o f either the preceding or the folowing eras. 1 hey look thick and strong with layers upon layer of petals. The murals at U bah tiicint stand out in their own style ; there are natural flowers as well as stylised ones. The Kanout designs‘-'at A nanda brick monastery, north o f A n a n d a pagada, Pagan, witness to the creativity of an age when the Indian influence o f Pagan had waned and when the new intruder, ‘ Y oday a’ design, had not yet ha.d its sway on Burmese art. The murals inside the temples at

K h inm u n

266. Tree in Pagan murals. Clusters o f leaves set apart from each other by frames.

and

Ywathiskyi in Sagaing, and U K u la ’s pagoda at Shweisayan east o f M andalay belong to early K onbhaung period too. The murals found in as*id around P ak h ok ku and

styles from Kam puchea and T hailand came to the fore.

Yeisakyo are related to early K onbhaung period although

In between-in A va, early K onbhaung and Aniarapuratruly Burmese styles evolved quite unilke the two foreign

ihey were done in A m arap ura or m id-Konbhaung period. In A m arapura itself, the murals ai T aungtham an Kyauk-

designs. In the latter era these Burmese innovations were

tawkyi shoyv very little o f Kanout design.

1 procured

exact copied o f the foreign design were used, sometimes

A m arapura Kanout designs not from murals but from stucco and stone sculptures, Shwcisawa lacquer chests and thayo pan shweicha w;orks. The leaves, sprouts, petals, buds, in the stucco works o f A m arapura are very striking. As to stone sculpture designs o f A m arapura, my sources are the border panels of the stone footprints

adaptations were attempted, and at times the foreign and native patterns were interspersed. So mucii so that most Burmese can not distinguish between Burmese and Yodaya floral designs. To them any design in its slender curves and coils is just ‘ Y oday a’ . We must study hard

of the B uddha. . In Y atanapon

or

M andalay

murals

the

Kanout

designs do not play a prom inent part. They are to be found in wood cavings, decorating buildings, stucco works at pagodas, and laequerware. The Kunout patterns also decorate birds and beasts like nega, garuda, lion, bilu, and hamsa, the costumes o f devas, brahm as, Sakra, and courtiers, and royal carriages and palanquins. Yodaya floral designs seem to have come into fashion. The sculp­ tors made much o f the new floral design-coils o f flowers, inter-iwining flowers, twists, waves, blossoms, buds, vines, layers upon layers o f petals and so on and so forth. Now a word on this Yodaya floral design. The development o f the Burmese Kanout design covers the whole length o f past Burmese Ristory, from Pagan through Y atanapon period, from 1Oth to 20th century A .D . In early Pagan Kanout designs similar in style to Indian flower were in vogue. In Y antanapon period, Khmer

ignored in preference for the Thai im ports. Sometimes

to be able to say how much Indian influence (here is in the Burmese Kanout , how much Khmer or Thai influence there is, and what our own contributions have been.

Note W e have technical terms for the different parts o f the Kanout design. U Kyaw Nyein, sculptor, his son U Win M aun g (T am paw aii) and myself once sat dow n to discuss them with the help o f relevant drawings. Some forty-fifty years ago U Ba Nyan, the well Known artist, after much research into Kanout designs, tried to compile a text-book on them. I have seen over sixty o f his drawings. A similar undertaking was attempted by artist U Ba Sein. Then U Ba Tha, retired inspector o f schools in art, compiled text-books on Kanout for prim ary, m iddle school and high school pupils. At present U W in M aung (T am paw aii) is working to trace the development o f Kanout through the ages. *U Win Maun g (Tampawaii)

F L O R A L D E S IG N

55

152. Stylised Snvtusa írom Srikshetra. Embossed on the bronze bell (height 11-3". diameter at the bottom 8.3") excavated near Pavam a pagoda. M u ­ seum ol' C ultural Departm ent, R a n ­ goon

153. Stone Kanout (lower from S rik­ shetra, Hmawsa museum, near Prome.

154. Designs from broken pieces of stucco at Beitthano. They are fore­ runners o f Pagan designs.

155. Nosegay.

F L O R A E D E SIG N

156.'Sim ilar It) Shweisuwu designs of Pagan.

157, Beads of dels in bud.

158. Kanout flower from Beitthano.

159. Floral design on a broken piece o f wood carving discovered inside the Five Pagodas west o f lllilo inm io, Pagan. Probably gilt originally, the design is the same kind found on murals, stone sculture, and stucco works of Pagan periotl. It is not known what it is a part of. (measure­ ments 2" x 6 " x *-I").

F L O R A L D F S IG N

S7

161. Lotus flower, stone sculpture at.

the same. F L O R A L D F S IG N

162. H se k p an floral design from m u ­ rals o f 12th cent. A .D ., Pagan.

164. A detail from a Pagan Runout design. Mower with buds, and Kanout leases.

165. Detail from a Ksekpan in Fagan murals.

163. Note : In a num ber o f Pagan floral designs, the tips o f the petals or leaves, w ithout tapering away, are found to be rounded. To give some example: A , B, C , 13, H, F, and G.

166. Detail from a Hsekpun in Pagan nun.;ls. Flower or bud sprouting from two leaves is a com m on m o tif in Fagan Runout designs. FLO R A L P L S IG N

^

! 70. Demi!

from

a

Pagan

nu n a i.

Example of' Kaitouf ick or ascending I lower desiun.

173. Detail from a Pagan mural. I (Mils with plenty o f petals. M yinkapa kupyaukkyi (1113 A .D .), Pagan,

167. Detail from a Pagan mural. ! wo leaves joined together.

168. Detail from a Pagan mural Heaps of clouds from M in N anlhu

171. Detail from " O p e n ’ ' leaves.

Pa turn

mural.

174. Detail from a Pagan mural, Eoiu^ with bud and leaf

169. Detail from a Pagan mural. Heaps of clouds without any flower like coils from M in N antlm Three

172. Detail from a Pagan mural. Sim ilar to No. 168 but different in the movement o f the stems a nd 'v ine s,

175. .Demil from a Pagan mural,

Pagodas, Pagan.

from the same source.

with buds.

*0

F L O R A E D E S IG N

,otui

P 6 . Detail lo tu s .

from

a

Pauan

nun 179. Detail from a Pagan nuirai. Ciiant lotus. liv e Pagoda (13th cent. A .D .).

'° Y V

17/. Detail Lotus bud.

from

a

Pagan

m ural.

.

180. Detail from a Pagan m ural. Five Pagodas (13th cbnt. A .D .).

< ■» 178. Detail from a Pagan Lotus in unusual style.

mural.

183. Detail from a Pagan. 1 oms with buds.

181. Detail

from

a

Pagan

m ural.

Lotus. M yinkapan Kupyaukkyi.

182. Detail from a Pagan mural. Lotus with buds. (The lotus doesn’ t look like lotus at all.) F L O R A L D E S IG N

61

! 84. Stone sculpture. Lotus. Myinkapan. Nan Pagoda (11th cent. A .P .).

185. Detail from a Pagan mural. Lotus

187. Detail

bud enclosing anolhcr bud done in

Unk|,lc' s,riPcs allcrnaling will, Kanout. fr o m Loka-hteippan Pagoda

Kntiout

186. Detail from G ia n t lo tu s.

a

Pagan

m ural.

188 Detail from a Pagan mural. Lotus alternating with Kanoui, 1 ,oka-hteippan.

190. Mower design from early 2 0 th century A .D . wood carving. From wooden prayer-hall in the premises of A nanda Pagoda, Pagan.

62

FL O R A L D E S IG N

from

a

Pagan

m ural,

189. Detail from a Hagan mural. Circle with lotus in the centre and four Kanuut flowers it. Eoka-hteippan.

surrounding

191. Kanout design with fruit and leaves. From the same place in No. 190

192.,Flower and Kanout design, i ron) the same place iñ No. 190.

193. “ M ix e d ” design with flower inside cross and Kanout. From the same place in No. 190.

F L O R A L D E S IG N

63

">■1

hunom

S h i n i!

•.i■ " ' n o f P a g a n

M\ ink,'ipa, knpvaukkvi.

i ')'■ . Siuci o

Kunom

design o f P a g a n .

More elboraíe than

N o . 194.

! IJ6

Pauan

Detail

Im iit

Kanom l ï o u e t of

anothct.

a

Puhíoufhamva

! ! 11h c e n t . A . ! ) . ) .

I 9" 7

H^ckpan

2.0th

century a

Pagan.

!9cia¡! f r o m a Fagan mera!. I .ofus bunch wi*h upturned petals, M in N anibu I hree Pagodas, Pagan.

256 Detail from a Pagan m ural. Kan.out Ho'vers turning to right and

Ip ft

257. Detail from a Pagan m ural, Kountawkyi, Pagan (13th cent. A .D .).

74

M O R A ! , D E S IG N

r~ /. °

... 9^ G }

258. Kweklehsek flowers from the murals o f,P a g a n .,T h e ceiling o f H payathonsu, Pagan. F L O R A L D E S IG N

7S

25T I rces in Fagan murals.

c-! < Ion'* formations o f birds, lions, e("

$ 262. Tree in Pagan m ural. Circular foliage springing from centra 1 stem.

76

F L O R A L D E S IG N

260. Trees in Pagan murals.

i ¡

263. Tree in Pagan murals. Circular foliacé formed by blossoms.

264. Tree in P agan murals. Circular foliage with leaves hanging down fro m a b o v e .

266. Tree in Pagan murals. Clusters o f leaves set apart

265. Similar to No.262 but with pointed leaves,

267. Tree in Pagan m ujals. Leaves spreading írom sietm

from each other by frames.

268. Flower in Pagan m uíais, Ron tawkyi, Pagan, 13th cení, A t).

F L O R A L I)L S Ii >N 77 ii

270. Flower in Tilokagura cave, Sagaing. A va (17th c e n l.A .D .).

272. Flow'er in Tilokagura cave, Sagaing. Ava (17th c e n t.A .D .).

Vi9. Flower

in

Sulam ani

271. Flower in Tilokagura cave, Sagaing. Ava (17th cent.AT)..).

274. Flower from U pali Sim a, Pagan. Early K onbaung.

Pagoda,

Pagan, hut not a Pagan work. Ava (I /(It even oi 'nine. W hether painted, carved or cast in metal, the naga in the earlier ages have very few kanout decoraiLms. it is only in the later K onbhaung age that we find kanout patterns in the naga figure. O ne who wan is to draw or carve a naga must know the rudiments o f kanout design. The nagaletn or twisted serpen! designs of Ava mural paintings at H po w in (Hpo-u) hill ai ; delights of ihe design artists.* ; \ The hleyin cart in Taungiwmkyi Museum nas very elegant decorations with naga, kinnari- kinuau, am', hurnan figures.

v

Hintha or Hamsa H am sa or H in th a features ,12. Stone entrance to S lm c iih a l yuunglei Cave at llpo-u hill Salinkyi.

5-43. Slone entiance lo Kuiisiiiliim g Cave at Llpo-u hill Sai'inkyi.

M l . Slone enhance lo k u n s m lam g ( ave at llpo-u lull Salinkyi.

I

5 4 5 . Stone entrance in the shape of

a dragon head to cave at Hpo-u hill s dink v i.

346. Stone entrance in the shape o f a dragon head to cave at Hpo-u hill

547. Bell stand from a lucquerware

Salinkyi.

m a n u s c r i p t chest, A m a i a p m a I'ri l od

P A C O D A S A N D B U I I I )IN( ,S

H

* ?!

I

549. Brick rest house in A m arapura, A m arapura Period. 146

PAGODAS A N D BUILDINGS

:VL Brick balusters at Y atananiyin/u Pagoda, M andalay.

5 5 3 . Brick balusters at Y atanam y in/u

Pagoda, M andalay.

^4 - ^*ick balusters at \a lananiyiii/u Pagoda, M andalay

P A t i O D A S A N D 1UU1 1 ) I N( . S

147

i

55S. Brick balusters nl Yal anam vin/u Pagoda, M andalay.

558. Pediment on the portal pagoda in P ak h o k ku .

556. Pediment on the portal pagoda in P akhokku.

of

a

557. Pediment on the portal pap>da in P akhokku.

of

a

J4H

PAGODAS A N D BUILDINGS

of a

559. Pediment on the portal pagoda in P akhokku.

of

Hrick rest house at Y atanam yiu/u Pagoda, M andalay, late Yatannpon

!. (ía te u a v al Y atanam yin/u Pagoda, M audalay, lale 'Valanapon.

562. Have brackels írom óid pagodas .u A m arapura, A m arapm a i V i iod.

563. Liave brackels ¡rom old pagodas al A m arapura, A m arapura Peruul.

M>4. l.avc biackels h o n i old pagoda.1 al A m a ia p m a , A m a ia p m a P u iu d .

P A G O D A S A N D IHJJJ.DINGS

I 4 l>

565. Sl ne.co 11 out ok! pagodas A m arapura, A m arapura Period

al

567. From Aungmyei Shweibon Pagoda, A m arapura, A m arapura Period.

569. Stone flowers at Aungmyei Shwei bon Pagoda, A m arapura, A m arapm a Period.

566. Stucco from old pagodas A m arapura, A m arapure Period.

1SO

at

568. Tonaya (fabulous creature) at Aungmyei Shweibon Pagoda, A m a ra ­ pura, A m arapura Period.

PAGODAS A N D BUILDINGS

nam ym /u Pagoda, M andalay, A m .ua p m a Period.

0.

Stucco flowers, at head o f stair-

ase found at old pagodas at Amaraaira, A m arapura Period.

VI. Stucco flowers at head o f stair inc found at old pagodas at Amara m a, A m a ra p m a Peiiod.

572. Stucco flowers at head ol stair­ case fo und at old pagodas at A m a ra ­ pura, A m arap ura Period.

574. Balusters and pillars at Yata nam vin/u Pagoda, M andalay, Amara pm a Peiiod.

575. Balusters and pillars at Yatanamyinzu Pagoda, M andalay, Amarapui a i 'el iod .

P A i i O D A S A N D I H ¡il l >IN( ;S

i SS

578. Stucco pediment and balusi at A m arapura, A m arapura Period W

576. Balu.slers and pillars at Y;tl;i namyin/.u Pagoda, M andalay, Amara p m a Period.

152

57V. Slueeo pediment and balusters at A m arapura, A m arapura Period.

PAGODAS AND BUILDINGS

580. Stucco pediment and balu.sk! at A m arapura, A m arapura Period - ?:

H 581. Stucco flowers from pagodas at P ak h ok ku , A m arapura Period. PAGODAS A N D BUILDINGS

1^

n ~ y .w \

a

a

584. Balusters al a pagoda in Pagan, Parly k o n h bau ng.

586. Stucco baluster at T hekkyallnlia Pagoda, Mandalay, Yatanapon Period.

Suicco at .head o f staircase at N u ’s brick monastery at Ava, i.uapura Period.

Balusters at a pagoda in Pagan, v' Konhbaung.

585. Brick baluster at Shweiinouthtay Pagoda, Pakhokku, Amarapura Period.

is i p a g o d a s a n d m h id in g s

587. Stucco stand for oil-lamp al Sithushin Pagoda, Pakhankyi, Amara pura Period.

588. Stucco

baluster

at

A ungm yei

Shweibon Pagoda, A m arapura, A m a ­

590. Stucco baluster at Shweigc

589. Stucco baluster at Shweikyekyek P a g o d a , A m a ra p u r a , A m a ra p u ra

P ag o d a ,

A m a ra j-

Period.

Period.

rapura Period.

A m a ra p u r a ,

591. Stucco baluster at Shwcigukyi

592. Stucco baluster at

Shvveigukyi

593. Stucco baluster at,

P ag o d a ,

P agoda,

A m a ra p u ra

Pagoda,

Period.

A m a ra p u r a ,

A m a i ap ura

Period.

A m a ra p u r a ,

A m a ra p u r a ,

Period. PA GO DAfc A N D B U I L D I N G S

ShwcM' A m a i.r

ress styles Burmese dress styles have changed a lot through the ages. To learn how we clothed ourselves hundreds o f years ago we have to turn to m ural paintings, pufapaik paintings, wood and stone or stucco sculptures, Shweisawa lacquerware, and so on. A book ^n the subject came out in 1951. It was by the noted scholar Shw eikaingtha U T haw bhna. The book contributed a great deal to our understanding o f the dress styles o f our ancestors. 'The dress styles ol the mural paintings o f Pagan resemble those o f Ind ia.* The hairdos ol both men and women have strands curling up. All wear big earrings or amulets in their ears. They wear armbarjds, close-fitting garments with short sleeves, waistbands and girdles. The robes o f kings have very beautiful patterns on them. Men wear long brerds and moustaches. Both men and women wear necklaces. The costumes ol Ava differ considerably from Pagan in that they are now more Chinese than Indian. People »now come to wear garments with long sleeves worn loosely round (he body and paitcd in front. Men wear headdresses while women wear tall topknots. They have shawls hung over their shoulders. In the high-relief clay plaques of Pegu, women seem to wear double skirts. In early K onbhaung men wear headdresses and nothing on their bodies down to the waist although some put on long-sleeved closefitting jackets. Their puhso or sarong is long too. W om en wear their hair in a bun. Their skirt is high enough to cover the breasts and a few wear long-sleeved jackets. In the murals o f A nanda brick monastery, Kyaung u Pagoda nearby, (Jpali Theirn Kam m a pagoda, men wear laced jackets like women. Their topknots an bound in thin laced turbans. Their skirts are long and loose. M id-K onbhaung dress styles can be seen in the murals o f the Kyauktaw kyi pagdda at A m arap ura. They are closer to those o f Y atanapo n, although the A m arap ura jackets seem to be longer. The headdresses or turbans o f men com to be veried to denote the social position o f the wearer. The acheit patterns o f sarongs are first found in MidK onbhaung murals. They are the rage in Y atanapon days. H

W o m en in A m arapura and M andalay periods use a piece of cloth called yinsiy to cover their breasts. Their jacket is called Htaingmatheim, long-sleeved and close-fitting. W hile the girls o f Pagan seem inclined to display their breasts, the maids o f Y atanapon take greate care to hide them. The costumes in Y atanapon period are insignia o f social position. The artists o f those days take great pains to see to it their paintings reflect the rule o f the day.

Kingly apparel -mural in Loka-hteippan temple, Pagan * Perhaps they are the dress styles o f India and not the costumes o f the

iod.

156

natives o f Pagan.-Translator.

D R E S S S TY L E S

597. Sandstone head at Pagan, Pagan

596. King S u ddhodana shows baby Siddhattha to recluse Devila stone 1

P eriod.

in A n a n d a Cave Temple, Pagan, Pagan Period. D R E S S S T Y L E S 1^7

«lone carvings at A nanda temple. Pagan, Pagan Period. (Archaeological Survey p! India Annual Report, 1913-14). i :>s

D R E S S ST Y L E S

599. Stone carvings at A n a n d a temple, Pagan, Pagan Period. (Archaeological Survey o f India A nnu a l Report, 191.1 > DRESS STYLES

159

601. Nativity at I okaditeippan temple. Pagan, Pagan Period. \

.i;:1?\

U '/ l ' K i V | 1,1

.7

.\v s W \ 'v-

:'M'A #" \\

\ \

)X V!

1viral at Phutothamya, Pagan, Period.

r604. Women in mural al Five Pagodas, Fagan, Pagan Period.

605. W o m e n ’s hair-styles in mural at Pagan, Pagan Period. DRESS STYLES i ' *

606. i 02

DRESS STYLES

W o m en in clay relief excavated at Pegu, H anthawati Period,

607. W o .n c .r s hair-styles from sandstone relict' at Kokkanthein Pagoda. A rakan (500 years ago)

andslone relief al Kokkanthein Pagoda, Arakan (500 years ago) 60K. W o m e n ’s hair-styles Irom s D R E S S ST Y LHS

t

W o m e n ’s hair-styles from sandstone relief at Kokkanthein Pagoda, Arakan (500 yeats ago).

\ \omen m the murals at H po U Hill, Ava Period. 11,-I

DRESS STYLES

61 i. M u í a l a ! P a g a n - wctuui.se and c h i l d , . A va Pe í k h I

í, I 2. Mural m lilo k a g u iu (a\e, Sagaing Hill, Ava Peiiocl. I >i< l-.^S S' 1 Y I l.h

i 65

613. Copper statuette lnnn Slnveisikhon Pagoda, Nyaun-u, A va Period.

614. Clay figure fourni al Pronie (Albert Muséum) 16 or 17 Cetit.

61S. Stone statuette lound at old pagodas a( A m arapura, Amarapura

617. Stone statuette found at old pagodas af A m arapura, A m a r apura

Per io d .

Period

616. Stone statuette found at old pagodas at A m arapura. A marapura Period.

166

D R Fi SS S I Y! ES

;r,

618. Stone W o m an in Pagan Muséum, Early' Konhbaim g.

5o :>v.) n o : o ó l ^'']}l i. í c o 1-3 L l ' i j ( u

cr >c G

rfj :/T'rh 30 0 ci es^c^ah ík>op