Bronze sculpture--National Museum (Colombo, Sri Lanka)
This is a replica of the British Museum image of Tara. The unadorned, yet aesthetically pleasing image, wears a high hair-do, at the centre of which is an empty socket. It may have contained a miniature seated Buddha statue traditionally associated with Bodhisattva images. Originally found near Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, it is the tallest Buddhist female bronze image discovered in Sri Lanka and may represent an instance where Tara was worshipped in her own right as Bodhisattva. Various dates between the 8th and 10th centuries A.D. have been suggested by scholars. This replica is found in the National Museum, Colombo.
Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini
International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo
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Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection