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

Nagini guardstone

Cobras in art

Stone--bas-reliefs--National Museum (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

This stone relief sculpture of a woman carrying a pot and what looks like a bell is kept at the Colombo National Museum. A faint indication of a cobra hood over her head possibly represents a nagini (female cobra) guardian of the middle Anuradhapura period (ca. 5th-7th century A.D.). The original find spot of this sculpture is said to be Pidurangala, close to Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. A replica can be seen at the Archaeological Museum in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Sirima Kiribamune

Archeological Museum, 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

JPEG 2000

eng

image

PDWESLSP.S.36

ce