The female as cult object in Buddhism

Bronze statue of Tara

Tara (goddess)

Bronze figurines--National Museum (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Among the Mahayana bronze images found at Tiriyay, Sri Lanka, is this standing statue of Tara now exhibited in the Colombo National Museum. She wears some ornaments, but on the whole there is a total lack of ostentation. This image at Tiriyay, Sri Lanka, is dated to the late Anuradhapura period (9th to the 10th centuries A.D.), when the worship of Mahayana gods and goddesses was popularly practiced according to historians.

Sirima Kiribamune

Colombo National Museum, Sri Lanka

9th-10th centuries A.D.

Period of study: 1986-1987

Version: 01/12/2012

Co-Author: Seneviratna, Harsha

Technical Officer: Wijesinghe, Lalith

Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini

Photographer: Madanayake, I.S.

International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo

All rights reserved by International Center for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka.

Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection

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