Nagas (cobras) and naginis (female cobras) as guardians

Female cobra-guardian with three hoods.

Cobras in art

Limestone--Bas-reliefs--Abhayagiri Vihara Project office--Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka)

In Sri Lanka, sculptured figures on guardstones are largely male. In this cobra guardstone, the limestone relief shows a nagini (a female cobra) characteristically diminutive in size but with three cobra hoods instead of the usual single hood. This suggests an improved status relative to other female cobras. The image is in the Abhayagiri Vihara Cultural Triangle Project office at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Scholars associated with the project attribute the relief to the middle Anuradhapura period (5th-7th century A.D.).

Sirima Kiribamune

Archeological Site Museum, Abhayagiri Vihara, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

ca. 5th-7th century 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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