Rock painting of Tara
subject: Tara (goddess)
subject: Rock paintings--Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology, Colombo, Sri Lanka
description: In a different medium is this representation of Tara found painted on a rock boulder at Kotgalkanda, 8 ½ miles from Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. This is an artist's re-production of it, available at the Post-Graduate Institute of Archaeology in Colombo. Seated in an attitude of meditation, the image is barely visible in outline. She carries a water-lily, a traditional symbol of Tara. Somewhat heavily ornamented, it reflects a departure from the usual austerity associated with Tara images in Sri Lanka. Though not precisely dated, it may be attributed to the second half of the Anuradhapura period (6th to the 10th centuries A.D.), when Mahayana worship was fairly widespread according to scholarly belief.
creator: Sirima Kiribamune
source: Post-Graduate Institute of Archaeology, Colombo, Sri Lanka
date: 6th-10th centuries
date: Period of study: 1986-1987
date: Version: 01/12/2012
contributor: Co-Author: Seneviratna, Harsha
contributor: Technical Officer: Wijesinghe, Lalith
contributor: Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini
contributor: Photographer: Madanayake, I.S.
contributor: International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
contributor: Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
contributor: American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo
rights: All rights reserved by International Center for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka.
relation: Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection
format: JPEG 2000
language: eng
type: image
coverage: ce