U

A Y E

M Y IN T

B U R M E S E D E S K rN

THROUGH DRAWINGS
%

I
i
!

Edited by Sone Simatrang

Translated by U THANOE
S IL P A K O R N U N IV E R SIT Y

Bangkok,Thailand
THE T O Y O T A F O U N D A T IO N

T o kyo Japan
hi

First Publishing : April 1993

First R u n : 1,000 issues
All right reserved

Silpakorn University 1993

IS B N >74-600-53 1-6

Published by Silpakorn University

with the Financial Support of The Toyota Foundation

Photographs : Sone Simatrang

Book Designer : Sone Simatrang
Color Plates : 71 Film Limited Partnership,Bangkok 10500
Printers : Siam I'ong Kit Press Lim ited Partnership,Bangkok 10 I it '
IV

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements, V II
The Toyota Foundation M anaging Directors Foreword , V I I I
The President of Silpakorn Universitys Foreword , IX
Editor's Note, X
PART ON E
A C ultural History ol B urm a, 2
PART TW O
Reproducing traditional Burmese designs seen and studies, 10
O ne Design from Potsherds, 20
Fwo K anout 'he Burmese Floral Design, 54
Three A nim als and Birds, 94
Four Designs in Pagodas and other buildings, 1 36
Five Dress Styles, 156
Six Textile Designs, 182,
Sc veil Miscellaneous, 192
Glossary, 208
A Note on; Rom anization, 212
C h ronology and Historical Sites (old capitals) in B urm a, 212
Selected Bibliography, 213
The A uthor, 214

This hook is dedicated to

M r.C h ark Siripanich
the former dean ot
Decorative Arts Faculty
Silpakorn University
B angkok,T hailand.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements, V II
The Toyota Foundation M anaging Director's Foreword 1 . VIII
The President of Silpakorn U niversitys Foreword , I X
Editors Note, X
PART O N I
A Cultural History oi Burm a, 2
PART T W O
Reproducing traditional Burmese designs seen and studies, 10
O ne Design from Potsherds, 20
/ tv<> Kanout the Burmese Moral Design, 54
Ihree A nim als and Birds, 94
/ o u r Designs in Pagodas and other buildings, 1 36
Five Dress Styles, 156
Six Textile Designs, 182
Seven Miscellaneous, 192
Glossary, 208
A Note on Rom anization, 212
Chronology and Historical Sites (old capitals) in Burm a, 212
Selected Bibliography, 213
The A uthor, 214

This book is dedicated to

M r.C h ark Siripanich
the former dean ol
Decorative Arts Faculty
Silpakorn University
B angkok,T hailand.

it

A C K N O W LED G EM EN T
H undreds of people have helped me in mv years of research and in
collecting ancient works ol art. M y thanks are clue to.
1 1 K h in Mating (Bank), artist U Kywe Lei (artist), Ven U Tli'awbhita
(Shweikaingtha), U Pyinny. (T aungleilon Monastery, A m arapura), U
D h a m m a s a m i (Leitha Monastery, Salei), M a jo r Ba S h in (Historical
Commission), l ! Htwei Sein (Pagan), artist and engineer U I in Ei
(ex-principal, school of Lacquerware, Pugam), U Bokei (ex-research
officer, Pug"m), Ko N eim yo (Mr. N oel Singer), artist Dr. T h a n l l t u n
(Professor of History), U VVun ( M i n T h u w u n , poet and scholar), Li
M a u n g Mating T in ( M A , Burmese Commis sion), U H t u n Yi (Scholar
of old literature), Dr. Kvav\ H tin (ex-director, H o m e Industries), U H la
H t u n H p y u (adviser, Weaving), U M i n N a in g (director, Ministry of
Culture), U 'K v a w Nyein (sculpture instructor), U W i n M a u n g (artist'
sculptor, I ampawati), U Sein M y in t (artist, Mandalay), D a w T in Hla
(ex-director, Ministry of Culture), U Kyaw Sein (Amarapura) custodian.
Archaeology Departm ent, Li M y in t T h e in (drawing master, weav ing),
U K h i n M a un g Lei (Nanthon-yatana, Mandalay) goldsmith, D aw Htwei
K yin (Acheit weaver), 17 A u n g Kyiy (M a u n g Hseiyo) art instructor,
\rt school, Rangoon, Li M yint H t u n (schol ar), Ko K h i n M a u n g W i n
art instructor (Lacquer School, Pagan), U Htei Ko (Mandalay)^ and
m any other persons w h o have helped me in various ways on mv study
tours as well as the Archaeological Department, arid the Architecture
Departm ent (R angoon Institute of Technology).
{ must also thank the Toyota F o u nda tion and the persons who
have assisted me in bringing out this book : Asst. Professor Sone
Simatrang, Faculty of Decorativ e Arts, Silpakorn University, Bangkok,
Mr. Kofat, M a u n g Swam Yiy, M a u n g Thaya, U Hi Ko, U H t u n Wei
(Y a n k in Films) and M a u n g T h a Noe, w h o has translated m v work
into English.
U AYE M Y IN T

T he Toyota Foundation Managing Directors

forew ord
O n behalf of the- Toyota f o u n d a tio n , I should like to congratulate
U Aye M y in t on the publication of his Burmese Design I uouyji
D raw ing. 1 his book, published in I hailaiui, is the fruit of a joint
internatio nal project funded by the Fou ndation and i n v o k i n g the
cooperation of T h a i and Burmese specialists.
i he idea of p u blish ing this opiicction of traditional Burmese
designs goes back more than five yea|*S to WHS, w h en Ka. ue 1w amoto,
then the p ro g ra m 1officer of the F ou nda tion's International i )ivrsion,
visited B u rm a du rin g one of her regular trips, to Southeast Asian
countries- In R a n g o o n she was introduced to she architectural designer
I Aye M yint. Fie showed her t Collection of traditional Burmese
designs he had copied over a period of several years and expressed
his strong desire to publish the drawings in order to make B u r m a s
artistic heritage better k now n both to the Burmese people and to students
iif Burmese art overseas.
Iw a m o to was eager to help U

Aye M in t

realize

his' dream.

Unfortunately, the F o u n d a t io n s International Division, w he h awards

grants tor projects aim ed at preserving and revitalizing the indigenous
cultures of Southeast Asia, had been unable to award grants 'to
researchers in B u rm a for various reasons. If, however, the work could
be published in T h a ila n d , the F o u nda tion w p u ld be able to offer grant
assistance.Traveling on to T h a ila n d , Iw a mo to discussed the possibility
of publication in that country with Associate Professor A n u v it
C h are rn su p k u l of the bacilli y of Architecture and Assistant Professor
Sone Simatrang of the Faculty of Decorative Arts at Silpakorn Univ ersity,
t pon s!inlying the drawings, the two T hai scholars praised the collection
as both a systematic presentation of the development of Burmese art
styles and techniques and a fine example of U Aye M s m t s artisitc
skill. I hey offered to do whatever they could to facilitate the publication
of his work in book form in T h a ilan d .
Burm ese Design T hrough D ra w in g thus represents the successful
outcome of internatio nal collaboration. T he international character
of the book is underscored by the fact that Professor h m i )h no of
Osaka University of l'oreign Studies, an authority on Bui me sc history
and culture, has contributed a background essay, A 1 uh ural i f istoi y
of Bui ' n i l
Joint international projects often take a relatively long time to
reach fruition because of administrative complexities and the need to
establish m u tu a l understanding a m on g the members of the project
team, w h o represent differing cultural and social traditions, V\c deeply
appreciate the hard work of all those involve'! in the project and are
honored to have had the opportunity to assist in m a k ing the publication
of this im portant work possible.
It is our heartfelt hope hat this book n il! deepen understanding
of B u r m a s magnificent art a m o n g people in B u rm a itself .->nd around
the wcuid,
H id e o Y am aguchi
M a n a g in g D irector
The /(>>(>ta h o iu u la iio n

V III

T h e President of Silpakorn Universitys

Forew ord
I w o uld like to express my appreciation for M r. U Aye M y i n t s good
in tention and laborious work; he has dedicated over thirty years
studying the Burmese design throu gh drawings. T h e sources of in for
m a tion obtained for the research are taken from archaeological
sites
**
throu gh ou t B u rm a, the research is presented to the public in term
of portfolio of drawings, about 762 pieces in nu m be r. It is an im portant
and valuable academic study w h ic h deserves to be presented all over
the world intellectual society,
I trust that Mr. U Aye M yin t's research represents the intellectual
work of the Burmese; it is no? only show ing the dignity of the nation
but also revealing the truth that B u r m a is one of the sources of world
civilization. T he research is not only for the pride of the researcher
but also that of his homeland-Burma.
M r. Aye M yint had sent a request to have his book published by (he
Toyota f o u n d a tio n in Jap an or in T h a ila n d , due to the limit of
m arketing and financial support in. p rin tin g in his country. The
Toyota Foundation, w h ic h has a policy to support the international
cooperation a m on g researchers a n d educational institutes in Asian
countries, and also has a goal to develop a better relationship and
cooperation in academic affairs, has donated a financial support to
publish Mr. Aye M y i n t s work-the original script. As the Toyota
F oundation and Silpakorn University have a very long cooperation,
the university is very grateful to he asked as a publisher. 'The script
is permitted by the author-Mr. Aye M y in t.
O n behalf (if Silpakorn University it is our great pleasure in having
the h o n o r from the Toyota Fou nda tion and M r. Aye M y in t to have
the book published and will be later presented to the public.
In this special occasion, I w o uld like to express my sincere thanks
to the Toyota F ou nda tion and to Assistant Professor Sone Simatrang,
D epartm ent of A pplied Arts, Faculty of Decorative Arts; the editor,
vvho h as devoted his valuable time to edit this book.
Associate Professor Khaisri Sri-aroon

The Preshlcnt o f Silpakorn University

Editors Note
I .mi willing to support the Toyota Foundation's policy in helping
Asian researchers and educational institutes in Asian countries to
devetope the in ternatio nal academic cooperation. S he work begun
when Ms. Kazue Iw am oto , the head ot the internatio nal G ran t and
programmer of the Toyota F o u n d a tio n received the original script
of Huniu'.sc Design through Drawing by U A yr Ms m i from the autho\
1 he

Toyota Foundation has donated the financial suppot i and the

Silpakorn University serves as the publisher.

I have to apologize to the reader that the publication fakes m u c h
longer time in years to accomplish. T h e original script need a lot of
im prov em en t the 1600 pieces of draw ing was not preciseh focused
du rin g the photographic process, there were also problem in black and
white w ith gray tonal values, sizes of the portfolio were a m o n g the
problems, many pieces of draw ing had to be photographed, lor the
second lime so that they wot. ild be of tl e proper sizes of illustrations ;
the im prov em en t of the graphic qualities ol the portfolio t o o k years
of work.
The political, conflict between the Burmese students against the
central Burmese government made me unable to travel to Burmac o m m u n ic a t io n was delayed a n d it took m u c h longer time tha n
the expected schedule. I have to aplogize to the reader for all the
tncovenience.

Assistant Professor Sone Sim atrang

I he head o f A pplied Arts Stuties Department,

Decorative Arts faculty, Silpakorn Uni\ersity.

PART ONE,
V

C u ltu r a l'

H is to r y
j

o f

B u r a ia
Professor O N O Torn

(Osaka University o f Foreign Studies)

'N

S H R ji
h
.
1n

si ! <ztiion

da,Pagan,was built by. K ing Anaw rahta (144'77 A .D.). photographed by Some Simatranf.

(Fi X j RAPHICAL a n d h i s t o r i c a l
BACKGROUND
Bunna lies rougi.'y between 92 and 101 of East L o n
gitude ant! between Latitude 9 and 29 North. Almost
all of (he country falls within the tropica! zone. The
loud area o f Burma is about six hundred and seventye.ghi million sqirue kilometres. It nearly corresponds
to she m./ c oi Thailand or o f France, and is 1.8 times
bigger than the ize of Japan. Burm a lias five neigh
boring countries: Thailand in the southeast: Laos in
he casi. Pcop!e\-j Republic o f C h in a in the north: India
in the northwest and Bangladesh in the west.
.Since most of the country falls within the tropics,
he climate is tropical monsoon as a matter of course.
[ he season in Burma is divided three: the cool dry sea

and 5,000 m m . in the two coastal areas, Arakan and

Tenasserim.

No one can tell exactly when the human inhabitants

first appeared in the land o f Burma. Burm a seems to
had been a sea bed during Cambrian period. The whole
of Burm a was, it is reported, nearly in existence from
the Eocene period. M any prehistoric stone implements
have been discovered from the various places on the
banks o f the Irrawaddy. They consist o f the chipped
implements o f the Palaeolitl]ic$age, and the ground,
polished tools o f the Neolithic age. The ancient inhabi
tants o f Burm a might have been closely related with
the Pithecanthropoid man o f Southeast Asia. They
were named the Anyathus by anthropologists and their

son tioni No, ember to February; the hot dry season

in ,hi M aich to May; the rainy season from May to

hand-adze culture as the Anyathian Culture.

Recently.human*bones and stone implements, which
are regarded as belonging to the late Palaeolithic or

O.'tober. Fhc monsoon of the rainy season brings

tncivy r:u!i to B m m a except the Central region. A n ansi>u latnfali . caches 2,500 m m . in the Irrawaddy Delta

the early Neolithic period, have been found in the

Badalin Cave, located at 21 6 North Latitude and
96 18 East Longitude. The bones unearthed from this

I hi rmese no r ices, II an goon,

photographed by Sone Simatrang.

cave are found to be 11,000 years old. A blazing sun,

two palms o f human hand, animal figures such as ox,
gaur, elephant, big fish etc, were drawn on (he inner
wall o f this cave. The people lived there seem to have
been hunters-fishermon. Under the existing circum
stances, it is quite difficult-to know not only the origin
of these cave-living people, but also the process o f their
extinction.
A first wave of migration of the M ongoloid may
have bepn taken place from north to south in the Ne
olithic period. It is probablejthal there were three main
waves in those movements of populations. The first
was that of Mon-Khmer races. They moved southward
along the big rivers like MeKong and Irrawaddy, and
spread throughout the lower plains o f Indochina
peninsula. The Khmer occupied the eastern part of the
peninsula on one hand, j^id the M on settled iii the cen
tral and western parts, on the other hand, o f the penin
sula, where' are now' called Thailand and Burma.
Dvarcndti was one o f the M on kingdoms in M'-nam
plain. Pegu and Thaton were other capitals o f Mon
Kingdoms in the lower areas otf Sittang and Salween
m i t s , The M o n called themselves Ranuuma in those
days, but are known to the Burmans as Tllinings and

Stone fu d d h a,Pagan period IIth '1 4 th cent.Ad),

photographed bv Sone Simatrang.
The Tibeto-Burman races were the second wave of
m ig r a tio n
They entered B u rm a th r o u g h the
southeastern slopes o f the Himalaya mountain ranges,
and settled alongside the Irrawaddy. The Pyu seems
to have been the first group among the Tibeto-Burman
races. They have left their own cities near Prome
(Tluirekhettara), Shsvebo (Halingyi) and Taungdwingyi (Beikthano). lhcy Im i built their cities in a circulai
plan using bricks. Traces o f their city walls and moats
constructed in the first millennium A .D . can distinctly
be seen even today. They cultivated rice in paddv
fields, and burnt their dead and stored the bones and
ashes in urns.
A great number of secular figures was engraved on
the lower part of a slab stone found in Halin. The up
per part of the s l a b ju ^ once had a huge sculpture like
an image of Buddha or H indu G o d, but has been

,t. ! 'ey mm s to the Europeans later. They obtained their

regret-tably broken and lost. These figures are seated

with their legs slightly bend. All of them raise their
hands in front o f their breasts and keep the palms of
the hands close to each other with fingers outstretched.
This lumcl-pose is indicative of prayer, worship or pay
ing homage to the I loly ( >ne. They uva; three folded
caps upon their heads and necklaces around thei:
.necks. Large ear-ornaments attached both to the ear

>tapie tood mainly by the. cultivation o f rice.

lobes can also be seca, i he tact that they don't wear

1C U L T U R AfrL

H IS T O R Y

Dhoti like an Indian but wear a trousers like a Chinese

is one o f the most significant features o f their
costumes. It appears to be probpbie that the Pyu who
lived in Halin at least have been culturally influenced
by Chinese.
So far as reliable records are concerned, the Pyu
used a peculiar alphabet which was palaeographically
quite resemble to the K adam ba script which was used
in the South India during 5th and 6th century A . D .
I'heir language shows monosyllabic and had a tonal
system. It indicates close connection with the Burmese
and Tibetan languages.
Sri Kseira mentioned by the (Chinese Buddhist pil
grims, Yuan Chuang and I Tsing, in 7th century A . D .
is identified with Tharekhettara by many scholars. Ex
ploration and excavations carried out several times by
the Archaeological Department supplied particularly
\aluable informations about Tharekhettara. Numer
ous stone sculptures o f the B uddha were unearthed as
well as various Bodhisattvas including A valokitesvara.
Two gold plates bearing the writings o f the Pali form u
la commencing Ye Dhanima were discovered at a small
village within the rUin o f Tharekhettara. A n annual

that time. A stone .sculpture o f the seated figures of

the H in d u Triad, namely Brahma, Visnu and Siva,
however, reveals that the Brahmanism also prevailed
threre together with Hinayana and Mahayanu sects of
Buddhism. It is evident that'Tharekhettara was under
a strong influence o f India unlike Halin.
The third wave o f migration was that o f Thai races.
They penetrated into B urm a from the northeast and
occupied the high plateau to the'east o f Burma. The
people settled there calls themselves Tai, but is known
to the Burm an as the Shan. They are predominantly
upland dry-field farmers. Linguistically the Shan com
poses the same stock with the Laos and the Siamese.

THE COMING OF BURMAN AND THE

FOUNDATION OF BURMESE
KINGDOMS
1
The original home o f the Burm an seems to have been

ginning with h ipiso bhagava. Tharekhettara can there

somewhere in the inner part o f Ch in a, between tlie

headspring o f a big river and the I Iirnalayanvrangcs.
In fact,the words indicating n o rth (myauk) and
south (taung) in Burmese had originated from the
wordjS denoting the upper stream (inyil auk) and
the m o u n ta in (taung). The ancestors o f the Burm an
were expelled from their native place undoubtedly by
neighboring nation who might have been politically

fore be regarded as a center o f Buddhist religion at

and military strong than the Proto-Burman. After long

Report o f the Archaeological Survey o f Burm a in

troduced us another gold leaf containing a part o f the
well-known Buddhist formula in praise of Buddha be

Natdilaung-kyaung Temple,only H in d u temple now existiiig in Pagan,was built in around l l t h cent.Ad),

photographed by Sone Simatrang.
'

Sarabha Gateway,main gate o f the east wall o f old

Pagan city,was built by K ing Pyinbya in 9th cent.
A .D . ...photographed by Some Simatrang.

Nanpaya T em ple,l}agan,was used as the residence

ot theicaptive M on kit\u< M anuha.
photographed /n
Simatrang.

and troublesome movements toward south or east,

they finally reached the narrow watershed between the
upper stream o f Salween and Irrawaddy, and settled
there under the suzerainty o f Nanchao which was
probably lolo kingdom founded by one o f the "Six

the purpose o f maintainning the Sasana for 5,000

years. The financial situation o f Pagan kingdom de
teriorated gradually during the reign of Pagan dynasty.
In the late half o f 13th century, Pagan was attacked
live times by I alar forces ol the Mongol T.mpire, and

l o r d s in the province of Y unnan.

According to the description o f a Chinese source'
"M a n sh u Nancho invaded Pyu kingdom in 832

subsiquently consented to submit to Mongol. A uthori

ty o f Pagan declined rapidly and the Shans obtained

A .D . and deported three thousand o f Pyu inhabitants

to Yunnan province as war captives. This event provid
ed a good chance to the Proto-Burman who en

Upper Burma in thefcarlv half of 14th century. Ava

was their capital for approximately next 200 years.

a good chance to establish their sovereignty over the

deavoured lo escape from the dominance o f Nanchao.

Hundreds of Burman refugees fled to southwards after

the fall o f Pagan, and built a small fortified town,

The Proto-Burman entered the plains o f Burma and

known later as Toungoo , in the sittang valley. Revolts

ultimately settled the eastern region o f Irrawaddy.

Their first settelement might have been Kyaukse area

and disorder prevailed throughout the country. Ava

rulers had been forced to fight against Slums in the

where the M o n had occupe'd in earlier days. The Bur

cast and Mons in thq,south. Battles continued particu

larly between Ava aiid P^gu for forty years. The reason

man seized Kyaukse, and then extended their political

control even to the western regions o f Irrawaddy. 849
A .D . was the traditional date of foundation o f Pagan,
due to a Burmese chronicle. Anawrahta was regarded
as the real founder o f this kingdom. After the conquest
of Thaton, capital o f M on kingdom, he brought a
complete set o f Pali scriptures, Irip ituk u , to Pagan,
together with the M on king and a large number p f Mon
captives* M on culture from Thaton was introduced
into Pagan, and had a significant irffluence upon the
traditional culture of Burma. Tantric-Mahayanistic
Buddhism of Pagan was replaced by H inayana B u dd
hism from Thaton. The Burinan adopted M o n script
in order to write their language. The successive kings
of Pagan Dynasty built numerous pagodas and tem
ples, and inscribed theindeeds o f merit on slab stones.
Religious practices in southern Burm a might have
been, however, a mixture o f Hinayana Buddhism and
Brahmanism. Nanpaya shrine where captive king o f
Mon lived, contains bas-reliefs o f Brahma on the inner
pillars. t
Kings o f Pagan dedicated;vast lands and a number
of slaves to Pagodas and teniples which they built for

why Ava fought with Pegu was mainly due to the need
o f A va to have access to a seaport.
The sixteenth century was a remarkable age for
Europe. Trade between West and East begun in
this century. Pegu, the capital of M on Kingdom,
enjoyed a long peiiod of prosperity through foreign
trades. Meanwhile, Toungoo was getting stronger
and stronger after the decline of Ava. Two rulers
o f Toungoo, Tubins/nw/iti and Buyinnuung. con
solidated their positions over the Mons and the
Shans, and achieved to unify Burma for the second
time in her history. The kingdom thus founded
utilizing Portuguese mercenaries, was called the
Toungoo Kingdom in the middle o f the 16th century.
Most o f the Shan states were forced to accept Toung o o s suzerainty and became under the indirect
control o f the Toungoo. The Shan Sawbwas (gover
nors) were permitted |o retain their feudal rights
as in the past., The successive king? o f Toungoo.
adopted nepotism. In fact, the governors of all
the provinces o f Burma were royal brothers. Their
loyalty to the king was by no means certain and
C U L T U R A L H IS T O R Y

a series o f incidents in 1851. The Governor-General

p f India proclaimed that the Pegu Province was
annexed as a part o f the British Burm a. Burm a
requested the withdrawal o f British forces from
Pegu province, but in vain. Anglo-French rivalry
has been played out in the Southeast Asia since
18th century. The English advanced into Burm a,
while the French extended their control overvCochinchina. I t became more severe in the latter half o f
the 19th century in order to secure their own advan
taged. The British were suspicious o f the intensions
o f the French who wpre pursuing an aggressive
policy even into Burm a. O n the other hand, Burm a
endeavoured to built up relations with European
countries, particularly France and Italy. The British
merchants in R angoon requested to the Government
o f India for the annexation o f Kingdom o f Burm a.
The Governor-General o f India sent an ultim atum
to the King o f Burma in November o f 1885, to the
effect that the King o f Burm a should comply with
the demands o f the Governor-General o f India.
The direct cause o f this issue o f the ultim atum
was a decision made by the Government o f Burma
u

to levy a fine upon the B om bay Burm ah Trading

Corporation for the illegal extraction o f teak from
.the royal preserves. The Burmese reply was regarded
as an unconditional refusal to the u ltim atum . The
Governor-General

rebellion broke out easily.

The kingdom o f Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung
collapsed once in 1599, but vvs restored by a des
cendant o f Bayinnaung with a new name o f Nyaungyun. At first, Pegu was rebuilt as the political and
commercial capital o f the kingdom. The capital
was then transferred to Ava, some 650 km far from
the sea, in 1635. The Burman lost their window
to the outside world by this withdrawal to the inner
region. In these days, the royal palace was guarded
by units o f musketteers. Administration was practised
separately by each of five organs, including the
Council of State (Hluttaw). Peoples belonged by
birth or by marriage to certain social classes. Non-^
Burman prisoners were organized into varioffs regi
ments such as cavalry, musketteer etc..
Nyaungyan Dynasty was attacked by Mons and
collapsed in 1752. Alaungpaya, as the national
leader against the M ons, united the scattered B urm an
and founded the last Burmese |cii]gdom, the Konbaung line, which lasted for next one hundred and
thirty years. Troubles broke out one after another
between the Burm a and the East India C o m p an y
in 19th century. W ar was declared by the C o m p an y
against Burm a in March o f 1824, and concluded
by the Treaty o f Yandabro in, 1826. Burm a was
forced to pay a large indemnity, cede two coastal
provinces o f Arakan and Tenaserim, yield her
suzerainty over Cachar Jaintia and Manipur.
The Second Anglo-Burmese W ar arose out o f

of

India

ordered

the military

forces to proceed to Mandalay, the capital o f the

Kingdom o f Burma. The British met with no resis
tance at all. M andalay was occupied on 28th of
November, and Thibaw, the King o f Burma, sur
rendered. It was 1948 when Burm a regained her inde
pendence from the British. Sixty three years has
passed since B urm a lost her sovereignty in 1885.
0

BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE
According to the descriptions o f the Mahavamsa and
Dipavamsa, King Asoka sent a religious mission of
the Buddhist monks So-na-and Uttara in the 3rd
century B.C. to Suvannabhumi, which has been
identified by some scholars with Thaton, the ancient
capital o f M o n . It is quite curious, however, that
the earliest epigraphic records fo un d in Burma is
not from Thaton but from an ancient ruin called
by Burmese Tharekhettara which might have been
recorded Shih-li-cha-ta-lo by Chinese pilgrims of
the seventh century. The introduction o f H in d u and
Buddhism appear to have been taken place not
later than the 6th cenfqry. Religious edifices like
Stupas and temples can be still seen at the outside
o f the city walls o f Tharekhettara. Three tall Stupas,
Bawbawgyi, Payagyi and Payama, were constructed
with bricks in cylindrical shape. They were erected
to enshrine some relics o f the Buddha. Temples
such as Bebe, Lemyethna, East and West Zegus
are unanimously square in plan, and characterized

A t e m p l e is a h o l l o w
ing

the

Buddha

or'w ithout

projecting

o f receding root

temples

in

either
has

four

points.

Pa;'an.

lhet<

entrances

the s a n c t u m
.ite t w o

I he
with

of

lot e n s h t i u

in shapt.

t
an

the

in e a c h

and

tiuallv

distinct

t > p * s o f

vaulted

sans c a m

entrance

. ardinal

i n g t h e '.e n t ' T

projecting

pt>ints.

directiofi

of

sanctum.
influence

a b o 1e
I he
are

an.Pu:.
\ m. 11 f
squatc

u i p p o t tin:'
. <a i i d e a

fe m p l e s

distinguished

In

the c a td itia l

t h e d< . .

mis

;i r ;.>>,

dom inated
their

t o g e t h e r w i t h pci f o r a f ed w m d o w s .

dark

1 v

of Mon artists and craftsmen had brought from

f haton to Pagan b\ Anawrahta in 1057. Religious
buildings found in Pagan ate also constructed with
bricks like as those found at Tharekhettara. I'hev
consist of Pagodas and temples. The Pagoda K
basically in the form o f a bell-shaped 'dome (andagarbha) with receding terraces and four-sided
pinnacle called Sikhura a b o v e which rises a series
of concentric mouldings ending in a finiai (Yasu)
and an umbrella (Chatlra). The term Zedi is applied
to such structure. Shwezigon Pagoda said to have
been built by Anawrahta rn Kyansittha, consists
of a bell-shaped dome standing on three terraces
and an octagonal base w-ith a finiai above the dome.
It is regarded as a prototype o f later Burmese Pa
godas. The distinctive feature of the Pagoda like
Sapada and Pehin^yannu: which followed the s!>ie
of Sinhalese Stupa is the preservation o f the cubic
relic-chamber (Harmika) above the dome.

! '
<fi
..Ion

co iit^a

Brick mona.stet i r

.
i

with a cylindrical pinnacle above basic si ructur e.

Pagodas.
Architectural and artistic activities in Pagan
began from the time when a considerable number

on

Another

of late Paaan period are often of two storeys.

The prime purpose o f these building is to enshrine
the image of Buddha. 1his style and structure seems
to have been a proto type o f Pagan temples and

with

A soucs

I n s u c h t e m p l e , a h t n d i s t o n e p i l l a r is o c c u p y

Sikhata

Portrait of K in g M in d o ii
I'h ocagm p h ed hv Sonv S iniutnm g.

a. s q u a r e

use above

cham bei)
direction

It

p o r c h e s o r \est ibul es.

a bell-shaped s n m a .

(image

\aulted b u i l d i n g

imaee

I M A i i F O F 151.iI>I>I 1
in the sanctum of the brick temples at Pagan is
enshrined the Buddha image of bricks with a stuccoed
$
. . . .
surface. They consist nf three types 1 he first is
seated cross-legged with right leg on left and have
both the soles o f the feet visible. This type of seated
Buddha, is mostly shown touching the earth with
the right hand and openine the left hand on the
knee with lingers all outst i etched. icpiVscntmg
the Buddha's attainment
Omniscience. In the
Lokahtcikpan templescan be seen one of the most
typical images of the eahh touching Buddha. I he
second is a standing Buddha with various gesture
o f hands. Some represent their right hands elavating
and benting with the palm fumed outward, ail the
fingers being outstretched and elevated, and their
left hands pendant with its palm outward and fmgen
stretched. The most prominent image of this tvpc
is to be found in the ;\'a,uavon temple. Others show
their hands raising and palms facing each other
as if they were turning a wheel. I his tvpc of stand
ing

Buddha

ts e n s h s m e a

as

hk

. 1i.a m n ;

templ e.

Pour standing Buddhas I aetng each direct ion of I he

cardinal Hunts in sins temple icpiescnt the P t e \;o n n

Shwem au daw Pagoda, reconstructed,Pegu,

photographed by So ne Simatrang.

Buddhas such as Kakusanda, Konagamanc^ Kassapa

and Gotamu.
The third is the recumbent image o f Buddha
lying on his right side, head, to left, right hand
under the head, left stretched along the body. This
figure represents G o ta m a Buddha on his death bed
(Purinirvanu) between two S&l trees at Kusinagara.
Two reclining images of Buddha are to be seen at
Pagan, one is on the west side o f Manuha temple
and another Shinbin Thalyaung, west o f Shwehsaridaw Pagoda. The head o f former image poinis
to the north, while that o f the latter to the south.
Apart from them, numerous' terracotta bas-reliefs
and stone sculptures illustrating the principal events
in the Buddhas life until his Attainment o f Enlighten
ment, as well as scenes from Jakata stories, are to
be found in and out of the A n a n d a temple, which is
situated to the east of the city walls of Pagan.

WALL PAINTINGS
Almost all temples at Pagan contain wall paintings
of various designs. The main function o f these
paintings appears to be embellishment, creation
of an atmosphere o f solemnity and illustration
o f the life o f the Buddha. The paintings are drawn
on the soffit, the^ wall o f the hall and the outer

and inner walls o f the sanctum. The main theme

o f the wall paintings is the Eight Great Events of
the* B u ddha, together with the Jakata stqries. The
Eight Scenes are composed o f the Nativity, the
Enlightenment, The First Sermon, the Twin Miracles,
Descent from the Tavatirasa Heaven. Parileyyaka
Retreat, Taming o f the Elephant Nalagiri and the
Parinirvana. The scenes from the Jakata stories,
particularly, the M ahanipata, the Last Fen stories
have been well known mcLdrawn on the both sides
o f (he interior walls o f the hall or the sanctum.
All o f them were painted in square panels following
basically in the order of the Sinhalese a in o n with
slight differences. Below each panel, there is the
name o f the Jakata legends in Pali followed by
the identity o f the Buddhasattva in that particular
existence in archaic M o n or Burmese. The Therava
dins in Pagan period recognized the Previous B u d
dhas beginning with T hanhankara and ending with
Kassapa. A series o f these twenty eight Previous
Buddha is also painted as a frieze at the top o f
the wall. The main contents o f the wall paintings
at Sagaing, Pinya, M andalay and other districts,
painted in 17tlvand 18th century A . D . , are also
scenes from the life o f Buddha and from the Jakata
tales.

PART TWO

Reproducing traditional
Burmese designs seen and studies
1

U A Y E M Y IN T
k

L A N D ()1 A R T A N D C U L T U R E

'

Mandalay is the last capital of Burmese kings. As

it was the custftm in ancient times to assign art
and artists to their respective quarters, so in M a n

goda^ which houses the great image taken from

Arakan in 1786, Yatanamyinzu Pagoda built around
1480, Kyauktawkyi at Mandalay Hill (also called

dalay and environs today there are generations of

artists residing and working in areas belonging to
them. All types of work o f art are to be found.
Mandalay was founded by King M iiu o u n (185278) of the Konbhaung dynasty in 1858 and continued
to be the royal capital in the reign of his son King
Thipavv (1878-85). It served--as a capital city for
27 years. Here still remain the old moat and the
city walls, ancient works of art, numerous pagodas
and monasteries. 1 he town boasts two hills, Mandal ay Hill and-Yankin Hill, &itli their rows o f pa
godas and monasteries and open rest-houses or
/ ( / i H e r e in Mandalax are the M aham uni P a

(M ahalaw kamaya/ein or M a h alok a m a ra jina , 1857),

k a u n g h m u d a u Pagoda,Saga'ing.
10 T R A D I T I O N A L D E S I G N

Shweikyimyint, where can be found Buddha images

belonging to a succession; of ancient kings, Thek
kyathiha (or Sakyasiha), Eintawya built by Pugam
Min (1846-52), and Inany other famous pagodas.
A m on g the monasteries are Atumashi 1aij; (Mahaatulavveyanj 1857) famous for its art works, Myataung K y a u n g 4 , Sanlm Kyaung, Shwei Kyaung
(1880), Kinwun M in k y is Kyaung, the second Shwei
Inpin Kyaung, and many others.
i k> atm i; o r K y ;a m g

p h o tograp h ed by Sone Sim atrang.

I ink is B u i iu c n c lo r m o iu ts ie i >

It is in these numerous pagodas, monasteries

and zayaps that works o f art belonging to the ancient

O f the pagodas the most noteworthy are Shweisaka, Snweikan-oup, Shweilinpin, Hsinkyo Shweigu

times are to be discovered.

A ro u n d the M a h a m u n i Pagoda, in Kyauksistan
and Tampawati, live and work stone masons, wood
sculptors, coppersmiths, lacquerware artists, goldinlay artists, and ivory sculptors ; in Myekpayap

and Shweigukvi (built 1174, renovated 1782), Puh-

quarter artists skilled in applique and m aking gold-

totawkyi (Mahavijayaramsi, cir 1816), Taungthaman

Kyauktawkyi (Mahasakyaramsi, cir 1847), Shweikyekyek, Shweikyekkya (16th cent.), Yatanagu, Shweihpaya, Nagayoun, and in the east Mebhayekkoun,
Zaungkalei Kuthoultaw and others.
There are monasteries with works of art in them

leaves ; in Asheipyin or East quarter weavers o f

over-a-hundred-shuttle fabrics ; in the old Shei-

such a Shweigukyi Kyaw-aung Sanhta, Puhtotawkyi

tawpyei ward lapidaries ; in M yaukpyin or North

Quarter weavers ; at Eintawya Pagoda umbrella

T h a yekta w , Y o u p s o u n 'Kyaung, T a u n g th a m a n
Kyaungtaik, Bakaya Kyaungtaik, Metaw Kyaung,

painters.

Thamitaw Kyaungtaik, Pyiy Kyaungtaik. Some are

in ruins now, while some have been burnt down.

OLEJ'CAPITALS
I AM ARAPURA

derably from those o f Mandalay.

To the south o f Mandalay lies the old capital city,

o f A m arapura. It was -founded in 1783 by Badon
Min or Bhotaw (1782-1819) o f the Konbhaung
dynasty. Except for Bhakyilaw Sagaing Min all
the succeeding kings--I hayawati M in alias Shwebo
Min (1837-39) and Pagan Min (1846-52)liad their
capitals there. It remained the capital for forty-

To the southwest o f Atharapura, on the south bank

The works o f A marapura

Period differ consi

(

ii Ava
o f the river Douthtawati, lies the old city o f Ava
or Inwa.
Ava was founded In 1364. It had been the royal

five years. As it has been a capital, there are pagodas,

capital city four times and remained so for nearly

four hundred years. Its history is on e,o f revolutions
and wars, which is whs the city has more ruins
than it should although it flourished as a capital

monasteries and works o f art in all parts o f the

town.

still find what remains o f a treasure trove o f ancient

city for so long.

Shw cnaildaw monastery, Martadalay, photographed by Sonc Simatrang.

But

the observant student can

works o f art here. One can admire (he stucco car

vings at Nanlawya, Htihlaingshin pagoda and Nanmalaw (Queen) Me N u s monastery and fall in love:
with ihe wood sculptures at Bakaya monastery.

ill FIN V A
In the southern neighbourhood of Ava, at Tanta-u,
is Finya the oid capital (Vijayapura). Pinya was
a royal capital from about 1309 to about 1315.

IV S A G A I N G
Fo the west, on the right bank o f the Irrawaddy,
lies the old capital city of Sagaing (Siskaing, Maha/eyyapura). Begun in 1315, it continued to be the
capital for about fifty years-tifl 1364. Famous pago
das in the city are Fltupayoun (1444), FFsinmyashin,
Ngahtapk\ i (1657). the gieat k aim g h m u ia w (Kajam a nicu la.. 1636) anti others.
Sagaing is a town of anisic and craftsmen. Ywahtaung in the southern section of Sagaing is famous
tor its silverware. Traditional Burmese toys are
made in Sagaing. The town also produces overa-hundred shuttle' silk fabrics.
Sagaing Hill is a sanctuary of holy souls dotted
with numerous ancient pagodas, monasteries and
nunneries. There amidst the greenery of the wooded
hilh are old pagodas with works of the ancient
masters dedicated to them. To trudge up hill and
down dale in search of these ancient works o f art
in dilapidated buildings is inspiration itself. In
M inw un and M in k u n ridges, which are the northern
continuations o f Sagaing Hill, are to be found
works dating back to three hundred years and
thereabouts. At M in ku n you will marvel at the
hillock of bricks that was to have been King B a d o n s
Mahaceti Pagoda (1781), part of the giant lion
that was to guard the never to be-linished pagoda,
the ninety-ton great bell (1790), Mva Theintan
Pagoda (1816), Momeit knoll, other pagodas, m o
nasteries and nunneries.

*
;;

v -i;

MY CHILDHOOD
I was born in Mandalay, that city of ancient arts
and crafts, on 2 February 1930. From my father I
inherited artistic talents and from my mother skills
with the hands. From a very young boy 1 used to

S hw e'lnbin monastery / Mandalay,

photographed by Sone Simatrang.

young life-I was then about six years oldT-to have

seen these figures being drawn before my eyes
O f course, at that time I was not old enough to
rep^rduce the figures the old man had drawn from
memory. But he c ou ld nt draw much either. Perhaps
he was not a properly trained artist. Anyway the
idea came to me that it would be nice to dra\v those
things although one c an t say that it was an am
bition. :
?
In my childhood I accompanied my parents and
relatives on visits to pagodas and had been to fairs.
1n this way I visited M a h am un i, Kyauktawkyi,
Taungpyoun, Yatanagu, and Shweisayan on"'their
festive days. It was then that I came to admire
h

lion figure1; in all their beauty, grandeur strength

spend very little tune m play like most children.

I would spend what free time 1 had sitting down
alone in a corner drawing pictures. I seldom drew
scenery. I was strong in drawing hum an figures

mil fierceness. The colourful paintings depicting

the B u d d h a s birth-stories instilled Buddhist thinking
into one. W alking round the pagoda after prayers
one saw various other figures : sphinxes, makaras

and animals.
There used to live at the back o f our house an
elderly gentleman called U Hpei O who wandered

gods), Sakra (King of gods), Vasundhara (Goddess of

from'place to place selling spectacles. The old fellow

would take my slate sometimes and draw elephants,
ogres, and snatches o f floral' designs in the tradi
tional Burmese style. It was the first time in my

(sea-mopsters), ogres, devas (gods), brahmas (higher

Earth), swans, dragons, garudas (giant birds), nayas
(kind o f mythical animal), and learnt of the mean
ings each one conveys. W hen you went to strike
the great bell, there on the hanger were bronze
figurines telling part o f a tale. Parents would expalm

Roof o f Shw enandau monastery, M andalay,

photographed by Sone Simatrafog.

these tilings to their children to the best of' their

Japanese counterparts in that they lack mobility,

knowledge. Those parents who are well-read in

Buddhist scriptures and know something o f Bud
dhist art would make satisfactory explanations
while those who d o n t have much knowledge o f
these things themselves could tell you very little.
I was lucky. M y parents were well versed in things

sophistication and crcativeness, but they have their

own charm as expressions of Burmese artistic idio
syncrasies. lake, tot example, the palm-leaf fish
you can buy at the fairs accompanying the Taungpyoun or Yatanagu festivals. You know it is a fishit has all the characteristics o f a fish. It is made
from the palm leaf which is a local material. The
technique o f making this toy fish is quite simple.
It is cheap. If you hang it at home, you will find

Buddhistic and I came to understand and appre

ciate Buddhist art Irom a very young age. 1 liisl
came to have glimpses o f traditional Burmese designs
from the im prom tu drawings o f old U Hpei 0 ( I

, it to be durable.

ranic to admiie and appreciate Burmese =Buddhist ; :

art when 1 went on a pilgrimage to the pagodas,.
d o i n g down to the fair that a c c o m p a n ie d t h e
pagoda festival I came to shops dealing in all mariner
of works o f art. There were toys on sale. Pyistairtghunmg (doll that will stay standing however hard
you throw it about), yumiii\ or girl dolls, iipowu
or plum p boy, zctwgyi :or j magician, elephants,
puppet horse, tigers, cocks, birdsall these toys have
a fascination to me, a childish infatuation which
1 will never outgrow.
When I was a child my father worked as a clerk
in a Japanese department store called S .H . Y a m a d a
and there 1 came into contact with all kinds of
Japanese toys which were a delight to all children.
Burmese

traditional

toys

are quite

unlike

their

?
l I ' ^ Y T E A C H E R S ''
j J
ijj
Maydalay lived an old artist named U Saw
;. \
f; Mining, who was famous lor his paintings of BudI I
! dhist Jatakas or birth-stories, and was a recipient
o f the honorary title Alinka-kvawswa. IJ Saw
M a u n g s father was Hsaya Ei, a well-known painter
from the late Yatanapon Period. Hsaya Ei was
1
known for his accuracy in depicting the court cos
tumes o f the Yatanapon Period and the son U Saw
M a un g was able to follow in the fathers foot-steps.
The Jataka paintings o f both Hsaya Ei and U Saw
M aung can be seen it> the precints of Eintawya
Pagoda, Mandalay. Kutholtaw and Kyauktawkyi
pagodas at the foot of Mandalay Hill and other
places.

Shwedagon I }agoda,Rangooii.

. photographed >by Sone Simatrang.

IJ Saw Maung and my father were schoolmates.

My father had though of sending me as an appren
tice to his friend hut had to give up the idea at the
outbreak of war. After the war I had the oppor
tunity of listening to lectures on art by IJ Saw Maung.
He used to illustrate his lectures with drawings of
parts o f the court costumes of Yatanapon Period.
He would then explain the terminology o f the
dresses as well. Thus i came to notice the importance
of the costumes and their respective terminology,
l ater, when 1 began in earnest to worlf on my
research into traditional Burmese art designs, I
realised all the more how important a knowledge
o f the terms is.
From a youth of 18 1 started learning art with
U Kywe I ei, a relative, for tjjirt'e years. What he
taught me was the rudiments o f commercial art.
Then i studied fundamentals o f design and fine
art with IJ Khin M aun g, a bank manager and a
nonprofessional artist. I also studied books on art
and design from all parts o f the world. Then I
took up a correspondence course on art.
In this way I mastered the skill to reproduce
on paper or canvas what 1 see with my eyes.
When I was a young man at school, I .came
to admire the patriotism of my old headmaster.
The nationalism 1 thus embraced from my youth,

the fascination for traditional Burmese designs

which I entertained from a child, and U Khin M a un gs
ideas on art-all combined to enable me to look at
Burinyse works o f art in a new light. When the
movement for national independence and reconstruc
tion began in earnest in post-war Burm a, writers
and artists got themselves busy in an all-out effort
to work for a renaissance o f the national culture.
I had originally wanted to be a painter. But having
come into contact with Burmese art w'orks and
seen their beauty, I matje a- point o f copying them
and studying in a historical perspective, and em
barked myself on the path o f traditional Burmese
design.
I began studying Burmese art from an age of
25. I started making drawings o f the various works
o f art found at Shweikyimyint Pagoda in Mandalay,
which date to some eighty or a hundred years.
1 he stucco carvings in the arch varies one from
the other. How artistic and difficult the work is
various petals, buds, fruits, flowers, one stem-pass
ing over the otheryou' realise only when* you sit
down to copy them. It is the same with the w o o d
work : depictions o f Jataka stories in thayo relief,
fyuddha images, sedan chairs, umbrellas with h\ntha
designs o f them. All these were subjects to copy
and study.

During (lie second world war iny family fled (o

lake refuge al llie lool of Mandalay Hill and i e
mained there for two years. Here I came to be
acquainted with the stucco, wood and other works
of art to be found at the shrines both at the foot
and on top of the hill. There were paintings tob.
Ihe two lions at the foot of the hill came to be
works of art I never tired of admiring. These works
bv the old masters commissioned by the hermit
I

M ia m i have become classics.

LEARNING FROM THE OLD MASTERS

I io m f ()54 for about twenty-three years 1 worked
as a\1es;ener with the government. Whenever ! was
oil tlutN | went all alone on a study tour of pagodas
and monasteries where ancient works of art could
he found and copied them. It was in these old pa
godas .mil monasteries unfrequented by most people
that rare works could be found unimpaired.
l o see the ancient works again and again and
record them in drawing was a kind o f exercise to
me. It adso led to a better understanding o f the ideas
and techniques of the old masters. It enabled me
to distinguish between-good ^vork and bad. G r a d
ually I learnt to discern repit it ions, variations and
innovations in the designs. In my research into
traditional Burmese designs I had no teacher n'or
books of reference. !t was a realisation arrived at
after repeated visits to ancient places and making
numerous copies o f the works there.

their colour combinations quite serious. The motifs

are taken from the Buddhist lataka stones. All
these wonderful paintings of Pagan are a witness
to the enthusiasm and industry of the artists as well
as the religious favour of the sponsors.
The paintings, sculptures, masonry, and archi
tecture of Pagan are the pride of our nation. I
was strengthened in mv belief in the traditional
Burmese design. A student of Burmese culture will
never have perfected his knowledge until he has
seen with his own eyes the works of art o f Pagan.
A m o n g the pagodas w;ith works o f art to attract
one are : Kupyaukkyi at Wekkyi-in Kupvaukkyi at
M vinkapa, Puhtothamva. Shweisiykhou, Ananda,
Hpayathonsu, Nandapyinnya, Lawkahteippan, Pe
nanthagu, five pagodas to the west of Htilominlo,
Apeyatana, Nanhpaya, Kvaukku umin, Kontawkyi,
Thekkyamuni, Kyansis umin, and otheis. The Pagan
Museum is an inferlsting place, too
At Pagan one finds not only the works o f Pagan
Period but those ;of Ava Period and early Kon
bhaung Period. Taungbhi Pitaka taik (I6th-!7th
cent.), Sulamani, Upali theim ( 18th cent.), A nanda
brick #ihara (1776 A .D .), Kyaung-u Pitaka-taik
"(18th cent.) are places where you can find wall
paintings dating to 18th of I9th century. I heir
colour and composition, the costumes household
goods, architectural designs of Pvatthad (turret,
spire) structures, floral designs, animals, all ate
very interesting as well as educative. With expe

It was only after I had made personal studies of

rience one learns how to identify the age of a.work

ancient works o f art found at Mandalay, Amarapura,

of art, distinguish good work from bad, and guess

Ava, Sagaing,

the thinking and motive of the artist.

M in ku n and their environs that

came across books on Burmese culture. There were

articles on history of Pugam art and other things
Burmese bv Shweikaingtha (pseudonym o f the abbot
Yen. l.! Thaw bita), his book Dress Styles, the writings
of /aw gyi, Min Thu wan and Dagon Natshin, the
magazine Culture, and publications o f the Archaeo
logy Department. All these books are good intro
ductions to the art of Pagan. The famous Burmese*
artist U Ba Kyi published in 1954 a book on the
life of the Buddha with his own illustrations done
m a new m vIc of Burmese m l. The book was received
with
enthusiasm b\ t h o s e interested in Burmese
art, and I was filled with admiration.

PAGAN - OUR TREASURE HOUSE

'

It was onlv in I960 that I got to Pagan on a study

SRIKSHETRA
Of* the many historical sites I have been to, one
is Thayeikhittaya or Srikshetra. Located ab6ut
five miles to the east of Prome, the ancient capital
o f the Pyu seems to have flourished from the fifth
to tenth century A T ).
What most interested me here are the gilded
Buddha image, the silver casket with a Buddha
image embossed, cla^v votive tablets, bells, bron/e
figurines o f musicians and dancers, coins, minia
ture pagodas, stone sculpture o f a w o m a n s head,
other works of. art in stone, potsherds, beads of
figurines etc. Thanks to the efforts of the A rchaeo
logy Department, the earliest works o f Buddhist
art in Burma have come to light.

tour. The works of art at Pagan are classics datable

to over 900, or 700 years o f the Christian era. To

BEITTHANO

me the real Pagan that stood before my eyes was

far more am a/ing than the Pagan I had found
in books. My admiration knew no bounds. Pagan

Situated between Taungtwinkyi and Magwe, Beit thano appears to have been a capital city of the
Pyus flourishing long before Srikshetra. Excavations
now expose the base of brick buildings. What inte

is the living Musee des beaux arts o f Burma. There

are the murals and the floral and vegetal designs
on the ceilings. The designs are extremely diverse,
systematically

organised,

bold,

detailed,

precise*

rest me are coins,

beads and figurines, parts of

plaster works, designs on potsherds, bron/e lions

and small brick lions.
;

p ix a

m Burma. To name a lew,,we have the ait of ivory

( H A N T H A W A D l ) Y O R H A M S A V A T I)

carving, applique, aeheip weaving, earthenware,

glazed earthenware, lapidary (Panywe), cabinet-

I lie old capital city of the Mons abounds in religious

monuments and pagodas ol live hundred years ago.
\
\hai draw my ^mention here a re glazed clay plaques,
sioiie sculpture of the miniature pagodas like, the
ones at Kyaikpun pagoda, the inscription at Kalyani
Sima or thcim (ordination hallf, the origin ol manussiha or sphinx, and old pagodas. I he dresses
o f women in the glazed plaques are just wonderful.

making, minting coins, glass and gold inlay, bamboo

and rattan work, silversmith, m aking toys, and
many others.
i
Design is indispensable to any o f the arts and
crafts. Burmese artists o f old seemed not to have
learnt design as a subject o f study at a particular
place o f learning or with a proper tutor. But the
works of rt they created leave no doubt that they

MYOIIAIJINC; (M RAU K-IJ)

understood

in thif ancient, city o f Arakan or Rakhaing, built

some
years ago, stone sculptures in high relief,

and adaptations to suit the given time, place and

m o tif are possible only through a thorough under

at the Shitthaung pagoda, small pagodas, differept

styles of coiffure of the figures of ladies at Htukkhan-iheim temple, and ancient weaving instruments

standing o f principles o f design. There is ample

evidence that our artists o f old understood lines,
size, significance, organization, form, etc., which
constitute the fundamentals of design.

are of immense interest to'me.

ten

f l o w e r s

o r

m o r e

the

principles

of

design.

Variations

IN T E R F L O W O F A R T ,

traditionally recognise ten arts or

as the ten flowers, because the

A m o n g r'the ancient works of art in Burm a, one will

Burmese name for each art begins with the word

(meaning India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh,

Pakistan) and those that are akin to the east
(meaning Ch in a, Kampuchea, Thailand). O f course,
as with religion, trade or warfare, there Iras been
an interflow o f art ynd culture among nations.
History records numerous instances of such ex

flic Burmese
crafts known

'pan', meaning flower. The ten are :

1
2
3
4
5

Panpe - blacksmiths craft

Panteim - goldsmiths craft
Pantiy - coppersmiths craft
Pantaw - stucco carving
Pantamaw - stone sculpture

6 Panyan - masonry
7 Panpu - wood carving
<S Panpul - the turners craft
9 Panchi - drawing and painfing
10
P'anyun - lacquer craft
In point ol fact, this -kind ot enumeration is lar
from complete. There are more than ten ails and crafts

find styles that closely resemble those of the west

changes. Although there are such styles tfuy look

like those of the east or west , one must say
they form only a small minority. For even when
they adopt a style that comes from a foreign source,
the Burmese artists make a point o f adapting it
to suit the native taste. In other words, they burmanise it. If you make a comparison o f the designs
like lions. Kinnara and Kinnari, sphinx or maims

M u r a l p o in tin g in
,4 nanda ( )kkynoting,

Pagan.
p h o to g ra p h e d hv
S>nc Sim atrang.

and how far they differ. I f you take the trouble

In the periods following Pagan -- in Sagaing,

Pinya, First Ava, Toungoo, and H anthawaddy -wall paintings came to be fewer in number, and a
great number were destroyed. Generations o f Pagan
art came to be lost.

to make a study o f the same design throughout

the ages, you will see the changes that take place

Painting in Ava ,Period was not found is as

many places as in Pagan. Where it was found,

at each stage.

the use o f colour was rather limited.-More re^l was

used in combinatio n with dry yellowi, green, grey

FLORAL DESIGNS OF PAGAN

and black.Most o f the paintings are to be found

at Tilokaguru Cave in Sagaing, Lawka-hrnankin,

siha, costumes o f devas, Sakra, Brahma, W r p s ,

drums, oboes, patterns o f over-hundred-shuttle
fabrics, floral designs, etc., with their foreign cou n
terparts, you will realise how far they look alike

An elderly artist who used to paint Ja taka stories1

and who was well versed in the floral designs o f
Y atanapon Period went out o f his way to remark
erroneously : If your sprig o f flower turns first
left and then right, it is enough. There is no need
for other flowers to go on in the same w ay. In
his opinion all the floral designs o f Pagan Period
are the same. Furthermore, if you have mastered
the floral design of Y~a!anapon Period, there is
nothing left to learn about the floral design of
P ag an . It is obvious he spoke these words without
ever making a careful study o f the floral designs
of Pagan Period.
In fact, the floral and vegetal designs o f Pagan
dif fer considerably from those o f Y atanapon. They
have a rich variety. Some are bold and forceful
** .
while others are tender and delicate. Whether it
is a painting, wood sculpture, stucco or stone carv
ing, you can recognise a work o f art to belong
to Pagan the moment you see it. The kweklehsek (cluster of joined patterns) designs
in the ceilings have so many variations from the
basic kwektek designs (patterns at intervals). The
whole width of the ceilings o f cave temples is beau
tiful with these kweklehsek designs, the pan sekwun*
(circles of flowers) in the centre, and htaung, hsek
pan or vertical flowers coming up an masse from
the corner in the base. Surely these artists o f old
must have had a sophisticated system as well as
very fine precision instruments.
I

MURAL PAINTINGS :
In Pagan [tainting, whether it was done the whole
width o f the temples inferior or part o f it, we find
the composition to be systematic and grac eful.; '
It was more detailed than in later ages. M ore floral!
scrolling was used, in various sizes and styles! The '.j;
designs were o f a high ^standard. Regarding the 1
use of colours, there was some control in contrast
ing yellow, brown and grey against red and black.
In later Pagan we find the striking use o f jade
colour, which produces a wonderfully serene effect;
All these date to 11th and 13th centuries. Recently,
a piece of canvas done during the Pagan Period
was discovered inside the broken hand o f a Buddha
image, and the painting executed in minute detail'
and bright colours is a wonder to the modern spgctator.

the caves at Ilp o w in (Ilpo-u) hills, salinkyi town

ship, and. Taunghhj Pitakataik (library), Pagan.
A few can be seen at Salei, Hseiphpyu, Pakhankyi,
Yeisakyo, and others.
W e have more paintings of K o nbhaung Period
than those o f Ava. They are more colourful and
lively. Red, green, and grey, in various tones and
shades, are used to make a vivacious picture. As
to motifs, there are not only those based on B u d
dhist birth stories but themes from social life as
well. Famous places ttf find them include Ananda
brick monastery at Pagan, Kyaung-u library at
Nyaung-u, K h inm u n, I aungmaw-u at Ywathiskyi
at Sagaing. Design drawings became less popular
and for the first time drawing from nature came
to the fore. Perspective was introduced.
In

mid-Konbhaung

or A m a ra p ura

Period

the

composition in mural paintings underwent a change.

Use o f perspective became more commonplace.
Profiles have not gone out o f the fashion yet.
in painting the human face, either the two-third
profile or front view was the rule. True profiles
were few. Floral and vegetal designs are scarce.
Blue is the colour most com m only used. Famous
wall paintings are to be fo und at Taungthaman
Kyauktawkyi at A m arap ura and U K u la s Pagoda
at Shweisayan.
D uring

Yatanapon

or

Mandalay

Period

more

painting was done in folding books called purapaik

and on canvas than on the wall. The wall paintings
at M a h a m u n i Pagoda in Mandalay were executed
in later Yatanapon Period but the styles conspicuous
ly belong to the older period. Similar styles can
be found at Slnveihlaingywa at P akhokku (on the
Nyaun-u-Kyaukpantaung motorway) and some other
places. Most o f these paintings have been copied
and collected by th$ Archaeological Department,
Burm a. A bou t thirty years ago an exhibition of
traditional Burmese painting through the five ages
was held (in 1954?).

PURARAIK PAINTINGS
The paintings in purapaik or folding books are
more detailed. They even use gold ink or gold
colour. Lines as delicate as if drawn with a pen
are drawn with a brush. O f the various purapaik
paintings I have seen, the one I like best is a small

one depicting dress styles now in possession of the

Pagan , flower desings in the interior o f the portal

Burmese Department, Mandalay University. Another

admirable one .is a purapaik in colour at Zeitawun

at Kyaukku-umin, Nyaung-u ; Nanhpaya, Mym kapa ;

plaques portraying the 550 Buddhist birth-stories

Monastery, Monywei, Monywa. The third is the one

depicting Mount Meru amid the four great islancjs,
at the Department of Culture.
1 have also seen a purapaik made out o f palm

at Puhtotawkyi, Amarapura ; Kyeilekhsek Cheitawya,

leaves with pictures (Mount Meru and four islands)

drawn with a stylus. The drawings are detailed,
graceful and lively.
Water colours 0Y1 canvas depicting families (not
natural but stylised) seem to have been in vogue
in the late Yatanapon Period. A canvas recently
seen describes the Mandalay Palace, the moat, the
city wall, and royal boats executed neatly in minute
detail.
From the wall paintings and purapaik paintings o f
he various historical periods we can learn much
about the dress styles, patterns, carriages and palan
quins, things o f everyday-use,, floral and vegetal
designs, lettering, composition, stylised images of
water, earth, trees, clouds, mountains, etc., the
human face, the use o f colour^and other elements
of design.

W O O D SCULPTURE
Most of the wood sculptures of Pagan and Ava
Periods have been lost under various circumstances
and only a few are left today. One outstanding
wood sculpture belonging to he Pagan Period is
the one at the old portal of Shweisiykhon pagoda
at Nyaung-u. As for the wood carvings of the
alter Amarapura and Yatanapon Periods, there
are plenty. Those at Salei Youpson Kyaung, Leitha
kyaung, etc., at Salei, and at 1'aimgbhi and Leya
at Pagan are sculptures belonging to A marapura
Period.
Those who want to .see wood sculptures o f Yata
napon (Mandalay) or latter Yatanapon periods
should visit the following places : Shweinantaw
Monastery, M a n d a la y ; Shwei-inpin Monastery,
M a n d a lay ; Shweikyimyint P agoda, M a n d a la y ;
Bakaya Monastery, Ava ; Taunghpila Monastery,
Sagaing Hill ; Nat-luaung M onastery, P ag an ;
Youpson Kyaung, A nanda, Pagan ; Shweiku ukin,
tanke, pakhokku ; Slnveitanttis, P akhokku ; zayaps
at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon.
Some sculptors are found to be very skilful at
(lower designs but not at figures ; others are good
at figures but not so good at flowers ; yet others
aic experts at both flowers and figures. H u m a n
figures in the wood sculptures o f those days are
siyhscd athei than realistic.

A marapura ; plaques depicting the Kamayana, Nat

yetaw Pagoda, Butalin ; the great image at Kyauk
tawkyi, at the foot o f Mandalay Hill.

MASONRY
in niy$ opin ion, the masonry o f Pagan Period is
the highest developed o f all the historical periods.
They works are remarkable for their strength,
grandeur, beauty o f form, immensity of volume,
deiailed and appropriate decorations, power to
hold the spectator in awe, etc..
The masonry of mid-Arnarapura Period is beau
tiful and lively but to be placed only in the second
order.
I

STUCCO
Stucco works o f Pagan Period have detailed deco
rations. There are even cases where the flowers
and figures in relief must have been made in moulds.
After Pagan we have stucco carvings of mid-Konbhaung or A m arapura Period, which arc very Bur
mese in style and very fine. The curled leaves and
buds, though few and far between, look very beau
tiful. The Outseintaung or balustrade llcfwers at
Shweigukyi Puhtotawkyi pagoda, A m arap ura, are
designs of rich imagination. They show diversity,
testifying to the creativeness o f the artists. In P a
khokku, the buds and flowers in bunches in the
centre of the portal at Ukin-tanke are unique,
s Me N u s brick monastery (Malta Aungmyeibon
sam, 1828 A . D . ) at Ava stands magnificently today
with wooden pyallhad turrets about it. The great
building ilself is a work of art to com m and our
admiration. The stucco floral and vegetal designs
on the staircase are very beautiful.

LACQUERWARE
The bnly places to come across works of art in
lacquerware called Shweisawa are wooden chests
to contain palm leaf and purapaik books, known
as sataik in Burmese. They seem to have been in
fashion during Konbhaung days. The motifs are
usually episodes from the B u d d h a s life, birth
stories, and flowers. The figures of Sakra, Brahma,
and Arahats on the left and right sides o f the Bud
dha image in some cave temples are found to be in
shweisawa lacquerware too.
Lacquer artists based their drawings on the dress
styies of Y atanapon Period. The terminology o f the

STONE SCULPTURES
Very fine works o f art in stoife are to be seen at

designs-is very interesting. Diversity in the shape

of ihe lacquer food containers, boxes, bowls, dautig

plaques depicting the life of the Buddha at A nanda,

lan tables, trays, makes them attractive. Today the

* *

lacquer artists have learnt to make copies o f the

dress styles found in Pagan wall paintings.
Kanout floral scrolling came to be sparsely used
in the Konbhaung Period, but the figures o f Sakra,
Brahma, Naga, garuda, hamsa, etc, are often en
riched by floral designs o f kanoui-pan and kanouttek. Instead o f following the patterns o f the floral
designs imported from Thailand. Even today some
design imported from Thailand. Even today some
Burmese will call any kanout floral design Yodaya
flower. (Yodaya = Ayuthia, Burmese name for
Thailand). There are scholars who fail to recognise
the kanout floral design in its historical stage. The
number o f people who can correctly employ the
terminology of the past eras has grown smaller.
The same sad thing is happening in other fields
o f Burmese culture too. Although we did have in the
past terms for all the parts or classes o f concepts,
we failed to put therrt on record or publish them
in books with the result that the modern student
has great difficulty studying the old crafts and
arts. Writers Zawgyi, Min Thuwun and others have
done something in this direction. A m o n g artists,
U Ba Nyan, U Ba Sein, U Ba Tha, and U Saw
M aung ' have made considerable contributions. The
Architecture Department has begun some work.
A m ong sculptors, Ko win M aung (Tampawati)
is trying to explain the old concepts with the help
of illustrations
We must work hard to learn, describe and put
on record all the technical terms used in traditional
Burmese design.

SYMBOLS
In traditional Burmese design there are symbols
to represent certain ideas and concepts. Some exam
ples are :
Kinnari

"
kinnara (Burmese pronunciation :
keinnayi, kcinnaya, animals hum an to the.waist and
ostrich downwards)
and

^ love
Manussiha (Bur pio n : inanoutthiha, sphinx)
security
Chinthei (leogryph or lio n )
-- courage, majesty
hamsa (Bur pron : hintlui, swan)
unity, attachment
garuda (Bur pron : galou, big mythical bird)
- strength
;
naga leglessdragon, serpent)
- peace, prosperity
yaksha (Bur : bilu, ogre)
protection
makara (Bur : makan, sea monster)
= diversity, blessing
Vasundhara (Bur pron : Wathondayej, goddess of earth)
= the earth as witness

Sirivatsa (Bur pron : thiriwissa)

= prosperity
peacock (in a circle)
= the?sun or national pride
hare (in a circle)
= the moon
Lokanat (lord o f the world. Avalokiteswara)
= peace
The symbols for water, forest, mountain, cloud,
sun, moon, river* ocean, lake, universe, Mount
Meru, the four great islands constellations, the
twelve signs o f Zodiac, signs o f the seven days
of the week, and so on and so forth, can be studied
in wall paintings purapaik paintings, lacquerware
designs, wood and stone sculptures, and the hundred
and eight signs o f tlie B u d d h a s footprints.
Burmese design covers a wide range of subjects.
It embraces not just painting and drawing but
every branch of Burmese art, sculpture, masonry,
architecture. W hat I have tried to present will only
serve as an introduction. My studies have convinced
me that the old Burmese, if they came across a
foreign piece o f work, whether it came from the
east or west , would not hesitate to adopt it,
but instead of taking it in its original style, would
try to adapt it to suit the Burmese taste. In this
connection, ( must mention the need on our part
to study the designs in the works o f art belonging
to our indigenous races as well.
I am just presenting before the reader some as
pects o f the numerpus works of the old masters
of Burma. Should there be some loss in the aesthetic
quality or beauty o f the original works, it is only
my weakness. 1 have travelled and studied to some
extent but not all. My findings arc by no means
comprehensive. Further research will have to be
done. My efforts are just a beginning, an intro
duction. Nor is my work a textbook on design
making. I have invented none of the works presented.
A lot of work has to be done. We must standard
ise the designs we have studied so tar, We must
bring them to a system. Exhibitions of the works
o f the old masters have to be organised, papers will
have to be read, and textbooks will have to be
compiled. Such enterprises will result in the founddation o f schools and creation of teachers o f tra
ditional Burmese design. We will have to preserve
the old styles and try to bring out new artists who
will create works on these traditional lines. Coope
ration between artists inside the country and with
those outside will be called for.

Design from potsherds

Whoris (suns

with spiral rays?),

Pagan.

R o w o f concentric circles with

petals fringes, Pagan.

Standing palm leaf inside circle

with fringe o f short rays, Pagan.

Copying the designs from potshards, I could not help

but some do seem to bear a meaning or meanings of some

admiring the rural craftsmen o f the past. O f the designs

kinds.
The determination o f the age o f a potsherd depends
on the wisdom o f archaeologists and historians. Potsherds
from deep down in the strata at Taungthaman, Amarapura,
come from very early times, over 2,000 years ago, those

described in this chapter, some I drew myself, some I

reproduced from the occasional publications o f the A r
chaeology Department, and the others 1 obtained from
Dr. Thap H tu n (Professor o f History), U W i n M a u n g
(Tampawati), U Khin M a u n g Lei (Nanthonyatana),
U Kyaw' Sein (A marapura) and U Than A un g (Pagan).*
The potsherds are from various places, from Taiingthaman, H anlin, Beitthano, Srikshetra, Takaung, Pagan,
M yohaung (Mrauku-Arakan), Ava, H sim ikhon (Sagaing),
A marapura. M any places remain to be explored. W ith
more fipld work, we can expect for more potsherds.
Some potsherds came to light during excavations o f the
Archaeology Department while others were unearthed
in ploughing, digging, either for wells or to set up posts.
Those obtained from the topmost strata belong to a
period o f a hundred or two hundred years, those from
a lower layer are datable to a thousand or two Thousand
years, while some may be even older,
1 had not expected potsherds to be so striking, to
possess such high class designs. O n collecting them I was
amazed. The designs are diverse. They present diversity
in lines (Straight lines, slanting lines, curves, waves, twists,
etc.), shapes (circular, square, traiangular, eliptic, crescent,
kite, etc.), and motifs (the sun, ldftuS flower, lotus bud,
flowers, bunch o f flowers, sprig o f corn, fan, tree, h u m a n
being, Srivatsa, Swastika, rain-drop, wave, conch, etc.).
Some are identical designs, some similar, but some are
quite different from each other. Some designs are just
meant to please the eyes and have no special meaning

from H anlin, Beitthano, Srikshetra, from the past 1,500

years (between 4th and 9th century A . D . ) , and those
from takaung and Pagan from 800 to 1,000 years. P o t
sherds from Bii Pagoda, Pagan, came to light when the
pagoda collapsed in the famous earthquake of 1975.
They have been collected by U Than A un g after p lou gh
ing the earth. They probably belong to the early part of
Pagan btecause the pagoda itself was judged to be a model
from that age. The potsherds fr o m M yoh a u ng (Mrauk-u)
are datable to the past 800 years.
Potsherds from Ava, Sagaing and A m a ra p ura are
copied from U Khin M a u n g Lei (N anthonyatana) and
U Kyaw Sein (Amarapura). A jeweller and a goldsmith,
U Khin M a u n g Lei possesses the ability to draw minutely
and patiently from the potsherds. Their potsherds are
from around one to three hundred years. U W in M a un g
(Tampawati) is often engaged in field work. *
O u r potters o f pld had not studied designs at schools
but they did understand design and created designs.
Modern potters ought to study the designs o f the old
masters. The designs may be used with benefit in other
crafts, for example in textiles.
* In m a k in g the d raw ing s 1 was helped by U A u n g K yi (M a u n g H seiyo)
a n d M o e M o e , m y d a u g h te r, a student at A rt S c h o o l.

1 Perhaps raindrops in triangle,

fr o in excavations by Archaeology
Department at a site west o f Taung
thaman Bridge in Amarapura, Man
dalay Division in 1966-67. A complete
skeleton discovered. Probably of a
neo lith ic village. A p p r o x im a t e l y
3,000 years of age.

2. Waves and lines. Perhaps the

t o re r u n n er s o f W a v y u ch c i ts o i
Mandalay textiles. From Taungthaman excavations.

3. Waves h o m e d by curves. Refined

From lau ng th a m a n
excavations.

ac/ieit design.

4. A wavy acheit design completely

distinct from the above tsso, formed
In horizontal lines and slanting pa
rallel lines.

From laungtham an ex

cavations.

.v Design with swaying leaves and

; (..ctangJes and triangles, fr o m i aungthaman excavations.

6. f a l l in g ra in drops
f r o m Taungthaman.

and

curves,

7. Design with squares and triangles

and lines. 1st to 5 th century A .I),
from excavations at Beitthano
Archaeological D epartment.

by

JL JL 11 11

MWi

S B iB B
8. Lines standing on waves. Beitthano.

ififi
9. Floral design beneath row of squares.
Beitthano.

10. Perhaps flowers hanging down

from a vase. Beitthano.

) a;

o)

<n>

mi

r n M M g n xm ow . .

l l i l l

#
11. Forerunner of latter Bhilu Panhswe

12. Folding fans in the upper row

and bundles of corn in the lower.
Beitthano.

! >. KiVws of folding Ians. Beitthano

i-4. Perhaps twin fish. Beitthano

15. Perhaps par! o f petals or leases

Beitthano.

16. Mower in a square frame with

beads. Beitthano.

POTSHERDS

23

17. Downward-faci-ng and upturned

hands o f lotus petals. Beitthano.

W M UM
y yy

m
m rrn rm

18. Rows o f upside-down V s. Beitthano.

19. H orizo nta l

lines

and

n n i n i l l l i w

m in

zigzags.

Beitthano.

M M fA
20. H orizontal lines, Zigzags and
upside-down V s. Beitthano. 1

AAAAA

IXOKZK*

23 Design with lines. Beitthano

> W * Z < J O T 'X I

r
24. Short lines between long ones
Beitthano.

25. C ircuar design with horns. Ben

thano.

i m

f ]

l i A i
IT Z IS

26. Design with long and short lines.

Beit t hano.

27. Dancing human figure with lifted

loot inside square frame. Beitthano.

28. Twin fish. Beitthano.

29. Twin fish, swan or lion inside

square Iramc. Beitthano.

2. Peacock and \un. Ava.

35. More a swan than

and halo. A v a 1
.

a peacock,

33. Better drawn peacock and halo. Ava.

34. Peacock and halo. Ava.

36. Peacock turning its head round

inside sunflower. Ava.

; ululating line and

n'M lines. Beiulumo.

IX. Undulatin g lines

Beinhano.

chistci

and

of

straight

im cs.

'9
iow

i oui'. petals sa n d in g upright in

Bcitiiiano.

40 S Dili1 horizontal lines and shot!.

u ai nes. Beitthano.

J
-It lo ng - an d short horizontal hne.s
and short vertical lines. Beitthano.

42 1aidulatmg line between horizontal

line-. Beitthano.

43. Lotus petals. Beitthano.

nuUituiH

l
44. Two types of
Beil t haiio.

45. Row

of

undulating

lines.

downward-facing lotu

petals. Beitthano.

'/ / / / / / / / / z
46. Row o f downward-facing lotus
petals. Beitthano.

47, Rays o f light above cone-like hills.

Beitthano.

- m

m m m

# t
*' U
ni ,idfthi niili^ lilirtK,^,

c.c.

>

48. Conch and vine. Aboui 3rd and

^ih century .A.I). From excavations
ai Hanlin by Archaeological Depart
ment .

4l>. A pecnlar Snvafsa design. Hanlin

50. King-like figure with tall headdress

inside square frame. Hanlin.

H um an figure with arms akimbo

inside leclangulai lame. I lanlin.

53.i Flower plant

on m ound

rectangular frame. Hanlin.

5.4. Butterfly? Fish? Hanlin.

inside

55. Floral design (kanout) inside lotus

56. Four concentric circles with small

bud encircled by rays. Pagan.

petals. Pagan.

59. Chrysanthem um

with

rounded

petals. Pagan.

60- C h ry sa n th e m u m
petals. Pagan.

with

p o in te d .
*

58. C a c lu s. P a g a n .

57. Twig inside lotus petal. Pagan,

61. Design with what looks like Bur

me.se letter N. 1 rom excavation neat
Bu Pagoda, Pagan. Drawn myself
Irom artifact in possession of Ko Than
Aung, Archaeological Department

62. Orchids looking like waves. Near

Bu Pagada, Pagan.

63. Rhombuses and circles. Near Bu

Pagada, Pagan.

64. Dancers and onlookers. Near Bu

\mada. Pagan.

65. Design with various-sized triangles.

Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

66. Chkra wheel inside rhombus. Near

Bu Pagada, Pagan.

67. Spring o f corn rectangular frame.

Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

g i i m i m 'g
lb *

68. Flower inside rectangular frame

with rows o f pearls along the edges.
Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

M . Concentric circles (sun?) and pea

cocks

Near Bu Pagada, Pagrm.

70. Concentric circle with heads (sun'.M.

Near Bu Panada, Payan,

7). Mower inside square frame. Neat

Bu Pagada, Pagan.

o O OOP
o1
/ 1
o/ W 0
o oo o O

72. H im ha (brahminy duck) inside

square surrounded by beads. Prom
a site on the bank of the lrrawaddv
opposite Bu Pagada, Pagan.

73. Flower inside a circle fringed with

petals. Site on the bank opposite Hu
Pagada, Pagan.

74. Mower (or Snvaisa'.) inside square

fringed with beads. Pagan.

~\V Circles and drops (of rain?) inside

square. Near IJpali Sima, Pagan.

76. Same as above. Near Fin Pagada,

77,. Bunch of flower inside squai

Near Bu Pagada, Pagan.

78. Sun with spreading ra\s. Neat Bu

Pagada, P ae an.

79. I.ion

eneireled

by bead-

Pagada, Pagan.

W. Spring o f corn inside a circle of

petals. Pagan.

81. Lion on glazed earthenware o f

yellowish brown color. Fagan.

82. Fan encircled by petals. Pagan.

83. Flower inside square. Pagan.

84. Concentric
leaves. Pagan.

circles

fringed

with

85. C i r c l e s a n d l i n e s ( s l a n t s , h o n / o n t a l
li nes,

curves).

Nti

Pattern

87

D iam ond

!* a n t e s .

88.

with

diam onds

shapes

and

Pa>jan

saw

too;i

Pagan.

Row

penlv

Hagan.

111

t l o w n w a t d-1 a e i n g

Pagan.

loin-

90. Row of concentric circles with

petals fringes. Fagan.

Circles surrounded by dots (suit's?).

I anan.

92. Standing palm leaf inside circle

with fringe of short rays. Pagan.

93. Diam ond shape or nem leaf wit fi

a I'loial design inside', lakam .g.

94. Saw-toothed diamond shape or

nem leaf with floral design inside.
Takaung.

9 <;. Swan inside circle with spreading

rays (sun?), Takaung.

96. Heart shape or banyan leaf,

kaung.

POTSHERDS

41

la

97. Moral design with

Takaung.

four petals.

;
98. Concentric circles with spreading
i.iy.s. lakaung.

99. The sun or floral design? Takaung.

HK). Mower inside nem leaf. Takaung.

101. Lotus bu d'or petals. Takaung.

102. Flower wiih lour peais. ! r<

N h ohaunu. K\aukhpyu Musvum

103, I ru ers o! clnniiaiec! !ea\o

mg

!ike a p l a n ! .

KM lout!

and

M vohauim .

!our

lea\es iiisk !

I (s . Row of lea\es and l u o l e

lines

Mvohaunti.

Mi t ) .

Sulisod

hud

and

\i nos ( k a n o m ) .

M\ o h a u m z .

I i s 11. s 11n . a n d h 11d . \1\o I a m

1 l o \oi

u illi ' c u d t i

polals.

\l yo-

i lower with lour petals. Mvo

(3)l Cg) L (QJ)

!M). Iliid (Mintha?) and shot I Inn

\
\a , \mat a p m a .

I ! I 1 ot us
\mnrapura

and

slioi i

lines.

\
\a .

112 Mower with tour petals inside

square. A\a. Amarapura.

IM . '[wig inside square. A\a. Ama

lapura.

II I. Rectangle with
\\a, Amarapura.

floral

designs

IC .

Houci

squaie.

wi t l i

six

petals

inside

A\a, A m a r a p u r a .

116. t o i k I s a i u t s q u a r e s . A\'a. A m a i a p u i a.

ea\cs a n d s q u a r e s .

I i s . ( i osses a n d s q u a r e s .

11>. I l o w ei a n d s q u a r e s .

'20. S f a r n<uver a n d scjnna^

12!. H o w e i . c m v e s an d shoit

122

l an

iuside

liiic-

c o n c e n ! i ic

r i n e e d w i t h short

imes,

\\a

! 2 3 . ( n c l e w i t h d o t ^ a l o m : hon .

124. (. o n c e n ! t ic
a i o i u i (he b o r d r .

ci rcl es

with

ieaws

125 Concentric circles and rings o f

dots.

i ,':o. (

hiikra

w h e e ls a n d

s tr ip e s .

A \ a,

\m a r a p u r a .

127. R onnd flowers with rays.

)28. R hom bs, Stripes, curves.

29. Spiral
squares.

with

in
1

wheels

inside

130. Stripes and squares.

jf

131. Mowers, twigs and stripes.

132. Spring o f corn inside circle with

spreading rays.

133. Leaf inside circle with spreading

rays.

134. Four-petalled flower inside circle

with rays.

136. Toddy frond inside circle with

rays.

137. Eight petalled flower inside circle

with rays.

138. Eight petalled flower inside circle

with rays.

139. Waves inside circle with rays.

141. Eight petalled flower inside circle

with saw-toothed fringe.

142. Conch-like leaf inside circle with

spreading rays.

143. Conch-like leaf with stalk inside

circle with rays.

144. Nosegay o f flowers inside circle

with rays.

! 46. Fish encircled by rays. Amarapura period.

147 Sprig of corn encircled by rays

A m arapura period.

148. Standing leaf encircled by ray:

A m arapura period.

!49. Eight-leaf flower encircled

rays. A m arapura period.

by

i T

m t
150. Peacock eneiiclcd by rays. Amarapura period.

151. Ci ab encircled by rays. Amarapura period.

2
Kanout the Burmese floral design

f fi hlv developed Pagan Kanout design with Ilin th a turning back its neck, from Ko Kliin M aung W in , art master,
lacquer

school,

Pagan.

Anyone
interested in traditional Burmese design just
cannot avoid the Kanout patterns. A student o f Burmese
design lias to begin with Kanout. It is the basic as well
as the main m otif. 1^ plays an important part in all manner

o f Burmese art, in pagodas and other religious edifices,

in wall paintings, in lacqucrware, in pum pik and sap
paintings.
Talking about Kanout, we will have to begin with
t h e Pvu works o f art which existed long before Pagan
was founded. In Srikshetra, we find Kanout pattern in
the bronze bell found together witty the figures o f m usi
cians and dancers, and then in the center o f the throne
of a Buddha Statue. In broken pieces o f sandstone from
Beitthano we find fhe design too. In Pagan the .Kanout
p a t t e r n s in their varied styles are found almost everywhere.
1h e c a v e temples are filled with Kanout designs executed
in elaborate detail.
!t is true the floral designs from southern and
centra! India came to Burm a along with the Buddhist
religion. But the Burmese adapted the designs and in n o
vations were made. A comparative study o f the tw o.
designs will show this. Even in Pagan period the Kanout
designs vary from the early to the middle lo the lattef1
period, according to IJ W in M aung (Tam paw ati) who
specialist in Kanout and used it in his draw ing and
sculpture. At a first glance the delicate and slender coils
and curves look the same. O nly a careful look will show
you how different they are.
Various theories exist as to the origin o f Kanout

stylised lion. As a design artist ! think it must have

Originated in the artists endeavour to adapt the flower
image to his background. The old artist .... . satisfied
with m aking a true copy o f the natural tlo
i with its
leaves and stalks and b u d s ,o n the giv n \t kground.
In his search for flexible designs he hit upon the idea
o f inventing designs that will bend to his needs. Thus
was born the Kanout flower then the buds, the" leaves,
the stalks, the vines. W hen a pattern was added to another,
there arose a design of twin flowers. W hen these were
com bined, there was one.* vf;ith four identical flowers.
Thus came into being hsekpan (joined flowers), patlepan
(flowers in circle), htaungniat pan (vertical flowers), and
then all manner o f arabesques o f floral designs like kuvkle
and kweknsek.
It is my opinion that only after the evolution of
stylised flower or kanout patterns the terminology for
the designs arose. Thus we have kyah man k, kyalan ,

chupan, chunwe, ihazinkhwei, hmaw'ian, uhsaukpan.

mankyiyywekhpat, seintauny, vwetan (puletan), sain,5 >paung, yamalekhnyo, etc.
: t was fascinated by the k wcktehsck designs in the
ceilitlgs o f Pagan period. To paint these veiling designs,
one must understand hivshpekhsek, leihpckhsck, and
kwekhsek techniques. Their works show how skilful
the mural artists o f Pagan were with ;
1. Th e width o f the space to be painted.
. 2 . Th size o f each design.

floral and vegetal designs. According to some scholars,

it is a development from the drawing o f the lotus flower,
the blossom, the leaves, the buds, the stem, and all, while

3.
4.
5.
6.

The shape.

others arc o f the opinion it has evolved from the lion or

7. Subject matter.

Kwekle-kwekhsek technique.
Lines thick and thin.
Shade of color.

'

8. m e a s u r i n g i n s i r u m e n t s .

9. Brush and paints.

In the period follow ing Fagan, in A va period, very
lew Kanout designs are found. The Kanout designs ol
the first A va have not lost the influence o f the latter
Pagan.* The Kanout designs o f the murals at T aungbhi
library, H pow in (Hpo-u) hill and T ilokaguru, which
belong to A va, are found to have clearly parted ways
with those o f Pagan. There is not much variety as in
Pagan, not as detailed, and they are bigger in si/e. Although
[hey continue to use ceiling kwektehsek (lowers, theirs
do noi come tip to the standard ol the Pagan artists.
But spreading as they do throughout the length and breadth
of the interior, these Ava murals give out an overall
\ie\\ o f gandeur and style.
In early K onbhaung period, the murals inside Sulam am i temple at Pagan contain Kanout flowers which are
quite unlike those o f either the preceding or the folowing
eras. 1 hey look thick and strong with layers upon layer
of petals. The murals at U bah theini stand out in their
own style ; there are natural flowers as well as stylised
ones. The Kanout designs-'at A nanda brick monastery,
north o f A n a n d a pagada, Pagan, witness to the creativity
of an age when the Indian influence o f Pagan had waned
and when the new intruder, Y oday a design, had not
yet ha.d its sway on Burmese art.
The murals inside the temples at

K h inm u n

266. Tree in Pagan nnirals. Clusters o f leaves set apart

from each other by frames.

and

Ywathiskyi in Sagaing, and U K u la s pagoda at Shweisayan

east o f M andalay belong to early K onbhaung period too.
The murals found in a*d around P ak h ok ku and

styles from Kam puchea and T hailand came to the fore.

Yeisakyo are related to early K onbhaung period although

In between-in A va, early K onbhaung and Amarapuratruly Burmese styles evolved quite unilke the two foreign

ihey were done in A m arap ura or m id-Konbhaung period.

In A m arapura itself, the murals at T aungtham an Kyauk-

designs. In the latter era these Burmese innovations were

tawkyi shoyv very little o f Kanout design.

1 procured

exact copied o f the foreign design were used, sometimes

A m arapura Kanout designs not from murals but from

stucco and stone sculptures, SJiweisawa lacquer chests
and thayo pan shweicha w;orks. The leaves, sprouts,
petals, buds, in the stucco works o f A m arapura are very
striking. As to stone sculpture designs o f A m arapura,
my sources are the border panels of the stone footprints

adaptations were attempted, and at times the foreign

and native patterns were interspersed. So much so that
most Burmese can not distinguish between Burmese and
Yodaya floral designs. To them any design in its slender
curves and coils is just Y oday a . We must study hard

of the B uddha.
. In Y atanapon or M andalay murals the Kanout
designs do not play a prom inent part. They are to be
found in wood cavings, decorating buildings, stucco
works at pagodas, and laequenvare. The Kanout patterns
also decorate birds and beasts like nega, garuda, lion,
bilu, and hamsa, the costumes o f devas, brahm as, Sakra,
and courtiers, and royal carriages and palanquins. Yodaya
floral designs seem to have come into fashion. The sculp
tors made much o f the new floral design-coils o f flowers,
inter-iwining flowers, twists, waves, blossoms, buds, vines,
layers upon layers o f petals and so on and so forth.
Now a word on this Yodaya floral design. The
development o f the Burmese Kanout design covers the
whole length o f past Burmese Ristory, from Pagan through
Y atanapon period, from 10th to 20th century A .D . In
early Pagan Kanout designs similar in style to Indian
flower were in vogue. In Y antanapon period, Khmer

ignored in preference for the Thai im ports. Sometimes

to be able to say how much Indian influence (here is

in the Burmese Kanout , how much Khmer or Thai influence
there is, and what our own contributions have been.

Note
W e have technical terms for the different parts o f the
Kanout design. U Kyaw Nyein, sculptor, his son U Win
M aun g (T am paw aii) and myself once sat dow n to discuss
them with the help o f relevant drawings. Some forty-fifty
years ago U Ba Nyan, the well Known artist, after much
research into Kanout designs, tried to compile a text-book
on them. I have seen over sixty o f his drawings. A similar
undertaking was attempted by artist U Ba Sein. Then
U Ba Tha, retired inspector o f schools in art, compiled
text-books on Kanout for prim ary, m iddle school and
high school pupils. At present U W in M aung (T am paw aii)
is working to trace the development o f Kanout through
the ages.
*U W i n M a u n g (T a m p a w a i i )

152. Stylised Snvtusa rom Srikshera.

Embossed on the bronze bell (height
11-3". diameter a( the bottom 8.3")
excavated near Pavam a pagoda. M u
seum ol' C ultural Departm ent, R a n
goon

153. Stone Kanout (lower from $rikshetra, Hmawsa museum, near Prome.

154. Designs from broken pieces of

stucco at Beitthano. They are fore
runners o f Pagan designs.

155. Nosegay.

156.'Sim ilar It) Shweisuwu designs of

Pagan.

157, Beads of dels in bud.

158. Kanout flower from Beittliano.

159. flo ra l design on a broken piece

o f wood carving discovered inside the
five Pagodas west o f lltilo inm lo,
Pagan. Probably gilt originally, the
design is (he same kind found on
murals, stone sculture, and stucco
works
of Pagan period. It is n o t
known what it is a part of. (measure
ments 2" x 6 " x *<t").

161. Lotus flower, stone sculpture at.

the sam e.

162. Hsekpan floral design from m u

rals o f 12th cent. A .D ., Pagan.

design. Flower with buds, and Kanout

'leases.

165. Detail from a Ksekpan in Pagan

murals.

163. Note : In a num ber o f Pagan floral designs, the tips o f the petals or
leaves, w ithout tapering away, are found to be rounded. To give some
example: A , B, C , 13, L, F, and G.

166. Detail from a Hsekpan in Pagan

mur.ds. Flower or bud sprouting Iron!
two leaves is a com m on m o tif in
Pagan Kanout designs.

I 70. Demi!

from

Pagan

im ua l.

Example 111 Kaitouf ick or ascending

(lower desimi.

173. Detail from a Pagan mural.

1 (Mils with plenty o f petals. M yinkapa
Kupyaukkyi (1113 A .D .), Pagan,

167. Detail I rom a Pagan mural. !\vo

leaves joined together.

Pauan

mural.

174. Detail from a Pagan mural. Lotus

with hud and leaf

168. Detail from a Pagan mural

Heaps of clouds from M in Nantliu

171. Detail from

" O p e n ' leaves.

169. Detail from a Pagan mural.

Heaps of clouds without any flower-

172. Detail from a Pagan mural.

Sim ilar to No. 168 but different in the
movement o f the stems a nd 'v ine s,

175. .Demil from a Pagan mural,

from the same sou ice.

with buds.

like coils from

M in

N anthu Three

Pagodas, Pagan.
60

FLORAI

D E S IG N

P 6 . Detail
lo tu s .

from

Pauan

nun

179. Detail from a Pagan m ural.

G iant lotus. liv e Pagoda (13th cent.
A .D ).

' Y V

17/. Detail
Lotus bud.

from

Pagan

m ural.

180. Detail from a Pagan m ural. Five

Pagodas (13th cent. A .D .).

<
178. Detail from a Pagan
Lotus in unusual style.

mural.

183. Detail from a Pagan. 1 oms with

buds.

181. Detail

from

Pagan

m ural.

Lotus. M yinkapan Kupyaukkyi.

182. Detail from a Pagan mural.

Lotus with buds. (The lotus doesn t
look like lotus at all.)

! 84. Stone sculpture. Lotus. Myinkapan. Nan Pagoda (11th cent. A .P .).

185. Detail from a Pagan mural. Lotus

bud enclosing another bud done in

Kanout.
186. Detail from
G ia n t lo tu s.

Pagan

m ural.

188 Detail from a Pagan mural. Lotus

Kanout, L o k a - h t e i p p a n .

alternating, w i t h

190. flow er design from early 20 th

century A .D . wood carving. From
wooden prayer-hall in the premises of
A nanda Pagoda, Pagan.

187. Detail' from

Pagan

m ural.

U nique, stripes alternating with Ka

nout. From Loka-hteippan Pagoda

189. Detail from a Pagan mural.

Circle with lotus in the centre and
four Kanuut flowers
it. Loka-hteippan.

surrounding

191. Kanout design with fruit and

leaves. From the same place in No. 190

192..Flower and Kanout design, i ron)

the same place i No. 190.

193. M ix e d design with flower

inside cross and Kanout. From the
same place in No. 190.

">1 S i n i o h n n o u t . 1 s<M>o f P a e a n
Mvinkapa,

kupvaukkvi.

')'. S l u c t o Kanom

Mure

I ()6.

elborae

Detail

hanoi/t
<>f

from

I9"7

H^ckpan
century
a

coda.

Paean.

Different
in

Paean

mural.

Puhuutham va

near

from

wood

an

from

early

sculpture,

(iaw dapalin

design

N o . 19 7 ,

Pagoda

Paean.

design
A .D .

zavap

from

198.

een!. A .D .),

2. 0th

place

N o . 19 4.

flower s p r o u t i n g f r o m the stem

another.

tilth

design o f P a e a n .

than

the

Pa

same

199. Design from an A m arapura pe

riod, wood sculpture, near Golden
monastery, Leya, Pagan.

200. Design from wood sculpture in

the massive door at A nanda Pagoda,
Pagan.

i --^**
^1 * 11iim*>iMfciiwA A iiA'1
1
' ^

AmAmAmm*

201. Design from wood sculpture in

the massive door at A nanda Pagoda,
Pagan.

z o

i TJ u x t - r x x i : m

r r r n

r n

.i . n

. . m

202. Design from wood sculpture in

the-massive door at A nanda Pagoda.
Pagan.

203. Design from wood sculpture in

the door at Mahabodhi Pagoda, Pagan.
Probably a work o f early 20th century
A .D ., M andalay.
i

FLORAL

D ESIGN

OS

204. From N o .203. A simple design

com m on with Shweisawa lacquer
artists.

205. W ood sculpture. Very rare design.

One is not sure whether these are
flowers or leaves but they are just
w onderful, Feya village, Pagan. 19th
cent. A .D .

206. Detail from a mural in a small

pagoda near Anancla, Pagan, a work
o f the early K ounbhaung period.

207. Stucco Hsekpan from Shweigukyi,

Pagan (1131 A .D .).

208. Stucco Iisekpan from Pitakataik (library), Pagan (renovated 1783

A .D .).

209. Stucco Hsekpan from Pitakataik (library), Pagan (renovated 1783

A .D .).

210. Detail from the murals ol Ananda

Pagoda, Pagan (1091 A .D .). The
murals had been while-washed over
and came out thank.-, to the eliorts ol
Aichaeology D epartm ent.

211. Kanout design from M in nanth u

I In ee Pagodas, Pagan.

212. Kanout design from M innanthu

Three Pagodas, Pagan.

213. Kanout bunch and com m on

ITrnver design, mural at M in nam lui
1hreo Pagodas, Pagan.

214. Sim ilar

to

N o .212 but

bigger

stems and the leaves more elaborate.

217. Srni 1;r u> N o .213. I caves, petals

ind stems more elaborate and much
better.

216. Hsekpan with stylised lotus

217. Hsekpan with flowers and buds.

218. Bow shaped stem with buds.

t.

220. Slanting Knont bunches.

221. Slanting Kanout bunches, Five

Pagodas, west o f H tilo m in lo , Pagan.

222. Slanting Kanout bunches, Five

Pagodas, west o f Fltilom inlo, Pagan

223. Kanout design o f early

Pagan period ( l l t h cent.
A .D .) as abstracted by U
224. M id - P a g a n

( 12th cent. A .D .)

p e rio d

225. Fate

P agan

(13th cent. A .D .)

period

226. First Ava period (14th15th cent. A .D .)

W in M aung, Tam paw ati,

M andalay.

227. Second

A va

period

( 16th cent. A .D .)

231. Mandalay period (early

19th cent. A .D .)

228. Late A va period (17th

cent A .D .)

229. Early Konbhaung period

(18th cent. A .D .)

232. Late M andalay and

present period (20 th cent.
A .D .)

233. H ighly developed Pagan Runout design with Hintha

turning back its neck, from Ko Khin M aung W in , art
master, lacquer school, Pagan.

234. Hsekpan with lotus and Kanout

alternating. Same N o .233 resource.

230. A m a r a p u r a p e riod
(late 18th cent. A .D .)

235. falaka scene in lsekpun. Same

N o .233 source.

2.36. Very com m on Pagan Knont

design. Same N o .233 somcc.

237. Some kunoul dem ents ol Pagan

floral design.

F L O R A I. I )FM

71

? J 8 . A basic Kanout design

showing flic curves o f (he
petals or leaves.

219. Design formed by jo in

ing rising Kanout flower
(left) and drooping one

240. Four petals or leaves

from the main stem and tw'o

o f Pagan

sprouts.

period.

In the

Konbhaung design the little

stem is lost.
*5

243. Rising Kanout flower

242. Rising Kanout flower

o f Pagan period.

of Pagan period. (Note all

the tips o f the leaves are
pointed.

244. Rising Kanout flower

o f Pagan period. The tips
o f the leaves arepointed

245. Rising Kanout flower

o f Pagan period. Note the
coil at the end of each tooth

as well as rounded.

o f the leaf.

247. Detail from a Pagan

period mural from the ceil
ing o f Shinpin Ngamanaung
such
246, Very common, rising
Kanout design of Pagan.

Pagoda, Salei. N o
ceiling d e c o ratio n

248. Bhilu, lotus, Kanout,

and H int ha from the ccib

has been found at Pagan

ing of Shinpin Sakyi pagoda,

yet.

Salei.

design from Salei.

found at Pagan.

Not

251. Kunout and ordinary flower from Salei. Resembles

250. Seinhtaunakwek van design from Salei.

the one at M in N anthu Three Pagodas, Pagan.

253. C lo u d form ations of. birds and

hares, Pagan.

2'54. C lou d form ations o f bhilu (Ogre) heads, Pagan.

1>ci;i! from a l'agan mera!. I olus

hunch wi*h upturned petals, M in
N anihu I hree Pagodas, Pagan.

256 Detail from a Pagan m ural.

Kan.out Ho'vers turning to right and

Ip ft

257. Detail from a Pagan m ural,

Kountawkyi, Pagan (13th cent. A .D .).

258. Kweklehsek flowers from the murals o f,P a g a n .,T h e ceiling o f H payathonsu, Pagan.
F L O R A L D E S IG N

75

259. I rces in Fagan murals.

c-! <\1o h '1 formations o f birds, lions,

e("

$
262. Tree in Fagan m ural. Circular
foliage springing from centra 1 stem.

76

F L O R A L DESIGN

260. Trees in Pagan murals.

263. Tree in Pagan rnurals. Circular

foliac formed by blossoms.

264. Tree in P agan murals. Circular

foliage with leaves hanging down
fro m a b o v e .

266. Tree in Pagan murals. Clusters o f leaves set apart

265. Similar to No.262 but with pointed

leaves,

267. Tree in Pagan m ujals. Leaves spreading h o m steins

from each other by frames.

268. Flower in Pagan uiuials, Ron

tawkyi, Pagan, 13th cen, A D.

270. Flower in Tilokagura cave, Sagaing. A va ( ! 7th c e n l.A .D .).

272. Flow'er in Tilokagura cave, Sagaing. Ava (17th c e n t.A .D .).

Vi9. Mower

in

Sulam ani

271. Mower in Tilokagura cave, Sagaing. Ava (17th c e n t.A .I).).

274. Flower from U pali Sim a, Pagan.

Early K onbaung.

Pagoda,

Pagan, bnt not a Pagan work. Ava

(I /(It c e n

A.!).).

273. l lowcr in 1ilokagura cave, Sagaing. A va (17th cent.

275. Flower from U pali Sim a, Pagan.

All).

Earlv K onbaung.

276. Mowei I l o m u h u als h i Upali

Sim a, Pagan. Parly K onbhaung.

277. Flower from murals in U pali

Sim a, Fagan. iarly K onbhaung.

278. Mower in Upali Sim a,

Farly K onbhaung.

Pagan.

280. Flower in IJpali Sim a, Pai.au

Parly K onbhaung.

?n<)

I I

'

I jpali

Sima,

Papan.

! 'f'Iv K o n b h a u n g .

m i. Joined Howers, Early Konbhaung.

2X2. Joined flowers, Early Konbhaung.

283.

Joined

flowers, Early Konbhaung.

286. Flower from murals o f U pali

Sim a, Fagan, Early K onbhaung.

284. Flower from the murals of brick

monastery north o f A n a n d a Pagoda,
Pagan, Early K onbhaung (1775-1785
A .).).

285. Mower from murals o f Upali

Sim a, Pagan, Early K onbhaung.

287. Flower from murals o f Upali

Sim a, Pagan, Early K onbhaung.

288. Flowers in the murals o f Upali

Sim a, which resemble those o f Shweisawa lacquer ware.

2(>0. Stucco flower from old pagodas

o f A m arap ura, Period. Shweikukyi,
A m arapura.
291. Stucco flower from Puhtotawkyi,
A m arapura Period.

2.H() Shwcisawa flowers o f manuscript

boxex. A m arapura Period.

292. Stucco flower from Aungmyei

sbweibon Pagoda, A m arapura Period.

294. Stucco flower from A m arap ura,

Shweikukyi.

293. Stucco flower from A ungm yei-!

shweibon Pagoda, Am arapura Period.

295. Stucco flower from Aungmyeishweibon.

297. Flower from a gilded thayo work,
A m arap ura Period.

298. Flower from a gilded thayo work,

A m arapura Period.

299. Flowers

and

spirit

design

thayo work, A m arap ura Period.

on

300. Stucco flower from Shweikyekyek,

A m arapura Period.
FLO R AL* D LSU f

HJ

302. Stucco flower from Shweikyekyek,

A m arapura Period.
<!

84

FLORAL PESIGN

303 . W o o d sculpture from Shweikukyi

monastery, A m a ra p ura Period.

print o f t?he B uddha at Shweikukvi

pagoda, A m arapura Period.

301. Stucco tlqwer from Shweikyekyek,

A m arapura Period,

305. Shweisawa lacquerware design

from the ruins o f Shwei Yinye pagoda
(now lost), A m arap ura Period.

307. Monkey-demon and flower, late

Yatanapon.

308. Shweisawa lacquerware from the

wall o f a small ancient pagoda, Amarapura.

306. Stucco flower from Taung Minkyi

pagoda, A m arap ura Period.

309. Moral designs from a lacquer

ware manuscript box, A m arapura.

311. W o o d sculpture with mirrors

inlaid at Taungtwinkyi museum Yatanapon .

310. W o od sculpture at Taungtw inkyi

museum, Y atanapon.

320. Kanout peacock.

312. W ood sculpture from Nat-htaung

monastery, Pagan, late A m arapura.

n . Yodaya (Siamese) flower design

t Konbhaung period, late Yatanapon.

s19. Kanout hai;,e from folding book,

L ie Y atanapon.

314. Yodaya (Siamese) llower design

o f K onbhaung period, late Yatanapon.

321. Kanout swan (H in lh a ).

315. Yodaya (Siamese) flower design

ol Konbhaung period, late Yatanapon.

322. Kanout lion.

I-LO RA L P L S I( ,N

,s;

<>. Yodaya (Siamese) flower design

'f Konbhaung period, late Yatanapon

.118. Yodaya (Siamese) flower design

o f Konbhaung period, late Yatanapon
317. Yodaya (Siamese) flower design
o f Konbhaung period, late Yatanapon.

323. Kanout flower design

o f Yatanapon, late
Yatanapon.

324. W ood sculpture from

M aham uni pagoda, late
Yatanapon.

327. Kanout on wood

326. A Kanout flower.

sculpture.

'S. Vario us parts ol k a n o u l on wood sculpture, M o d e r n .

1 L( >RAI . D k h K .N

330. V a lio n s parts oi k n o n i on w o o d sculpture, Modet

129. Varions paris of Kanout on wood sculpture, M odern.

90

FI .O R A L D F S IG N

333. Various parts o f Kunout on wood sculpture, M od em .

H . O R A 1

m ; S K ; N

1>J

114

P n i K l

K a n o n ! ot \vno<!

<;OTl|' :nu

335.

% o Kanoul on wood

%U<qc^o T "

.234. Hsekpdn with lotus and Kanout alternating. Same N o .233 resource.

Naga or Serpen!

O f the m any anim als and birds used by traditional Burmese

art, I will describe the mosd com m on nine in this chapter:

O f the ten great Buddhist jatakas one is the story o f Bhu-

makan, naga, hintha, galon, bilu, kinari-kinara, manoutthiha,

udaung and chinthei. To illustrate their gradual development

ridatta the serpent. O f the 108 signs in the io odp rin t o f

the B uddha No 72 (or 73) is said to be Vasuki the Serpent

through the ages, i will accompany the chapter with drawings

King. Sometimes the foodpi int has a .serpen! tw ining roud

I have made
and birus o f
live ones but
with the help

it in mem ory o f the serpent N am m ad a ai whose request

the B uddha left the fo odprint, according to tlie legend.
W hile the B uddha was sojourning by M iicalinda lake, it

o f the creatures over the years. The anim als

Burmese art are not realistic likenesses o f the
rather slylised versions made more beautiful
o f kanout patterns. In some the whole figure

is created as a unit o f the design while in others the patturns

serve as decorations to the whole. The creatures are important
in Buddhist Burmese art.

Makan or Mak&ra
Ancient Burmese poets often likened clouds to makans,
which the Encyclopeadia Burmanica says, are kinds o f seamonsters. As works o f art they first appeared on either side
o f the gold and silver B uddha images o f the Pyus and in
some clay votive tablets. A makan figure is found in a gold
bracelet o f the Pyus unearthed at U H n a u n ^ s m o u n d ,
Myinnvu. In Pagan period makan Cgures^are found in m ural
paintings and in stucco decorations o f doorways. Stone
S-.'.uiptU . eh o f muki-ni itu i be seen at N anhpaya temple too.
O f the 1 C8 si,>u- in the footprint o f the B uddha, N o 76 (or
11) is
\
In m id-Ronbhaung or A m arap ura
period .-tucio n.akans grac| tjhe stairways o f the pagodas.
In iacquerware and silverware the tenth sign o f the Zodiac
L a makan. The makans o f Pagan m ural (for instance,
H payathonsn) have four legs, trunks like an elephants,
m ouths like the crocodilesdaw s in the two fore-feet, and
scah:, all over fhe body.

began to rain and the .serpent o f the l a k e used his hood

as and um brella to protect the B uddha. To com m em orate
this episode nugayon paged is (pagodas ;n tnc fo u n of a
serpent giving shelter to the B uddha in* a ye) came to b<
built. Sometimes there is one single serpent, sometime*
there are two, sometimes there are threv. five, i>even oi
'nine.
W hether painted, carved or cast in metal, the naga
in the earlier ages have very few kanout decoraiLms. it is
only in the later K onbhaung age that we find kanout patterns
in the naga figure. O ne who wants to draw or carve a naga
must know the rudiments o f kanout design.
The nagqlein or twisted serpen! designs o f A va m ural
paintings at H po w in (Hpo-u) hill ai ; delights of ihe design
artists.* ;
\
The hleyin cart in T aungiw inkyi iv^uscum nas very
elegant decorations with naga, kinnari- kir.um am', hum an
figures.
v

Hintha or Hamsa
H am sa or H in th a features ,<n a num ber of Buddhist Jiu a k a
stories. We find hintha Kgures in paintings, stucco and
stone works o f (lie Paga-i j')eriod Sons'.: me placed on
A N ! A L S A N D U lU D S

<*5

either siae o f the head o f (he

can hr seen in khapat nan and
hintha is found in N anhpava
from the Pagan m useum. The

Buddha image while others

hsekpan, A beautiful stucco

temple. The twin hintha is
hintha with their necks Said

together cornes from the kweklehsek pan in the murals o f

Konfaw kyi, Nyaung-u. in the nativity scene in the murals
o f l.awka-hteippan temple, Prpari, Queen M a y a s skirt is
patterned v'ith circles conlai mng hint has and flowers. A
brick hintha decoration is found at Zeyyathut pagoda, east
Hp'va Saw. A Yama lekhnyo stucco work in hintha portal
is in be found a? the brick n onasferv o f west H pw a Saw.
I he hintha in the mtnais o f JHokaguru Cave af Sagaing
has kanout in its tail. The h-nthas in the shweisawa book
covers oi Amarapur;* peuoc are a good match with the
circles. The hintha from a bell hanger is copied from U
Thawbhita (Shw eikaingtha).
Hintha oup (container in the shape o f a hintha) de
corated in gold inlay came in fashion in A m arap ura and
Y atanapon period. The tankhuntamg or sacred flagstaff
at a pagoda has a hintha image on top. One o f the royal
insignia of K onbhaung kings is a hintha oup. There is also
hintha legs for the ro^yal bed and hintha shoes for the royal
feet. To this day the hint ha is loved by both M ons and
Burmese
O f the 108 signs in the footprints o f the Buddha No
73 (or 74) is a hintha. The Buddha had been born anim als
and birds in his previous existences. O f.this 136 are fam ous.
O u t o f these 136 lives 9 had been hamsa (swan).

Galon or Garuda

H in th a from

mu

at

in Hpaya-ngasu, Pagan.

O f the bhilu figfures o f Pagan I like thr guardian

The galon is said to be the king o f birds, It is belived to bhilu, a stucco work, at the portai o f Kyaukky-umin. He
be very strong arid pow erful. N o 62 (or 63) o f the 108 signs has an elephant figurine for his earrings. The bhilus in the
in the footprint o f the Buddha is Supanna-raja, G alon ! murals o f H pyathonshu are remarkable for their kanout
King. O f the days o f the week Sunday is often symbolised design. Bhilu panhsve are used in all the ages. W ood sculp
by a figure o f the garuda.
The garuda has been in u^e in countries o f south east
Asia for thousands o f the years. In Burm a the use began
only in Pagan age. The Vishnu image that used to be at
the N athiaung m onasteiy, Paean, had one foot on a garuda
tram pling two nagas. It was very Indian. In Pagan the garuda
was no< as popular as (he Kinnara. It was only in midK onbhaung and later period that garuda figures were used
it; decorations. T here is a giant painting o f a garuda inside
A nanda brick monastery, where murals belonging to early
K onbhaung period can be seen.
W ood sculptures o f the garuda look more beautiful

tures o f bhilu are often dancing bhilus o f the zat troupe.

The bhilu as a work o f art in an adm irable thing. It
is fearsome and at once graceful. In Y atanapo n period T hai
styles begin to dom inate. There are all styles o f bhilu:
sifting bhilu, threatening bhilu, waiting bhilu, directing
bhilu, sword-bearing bhilu, flag carrying bhilu, etc. Apart
fro/n the bhilu panhswe and guardian bhilu o f the pagodas
mentiotied above, There the bhilu that guards the forest,
the n that guards the treasure, the one that guards a pond,
r)or\key-bhi/u, and so on and so forth.

Remiia^k or Kinnara

'

than the painted ones. !n A m arapura we also have stucco

O f the 136 fam ous past anim al lives o f the B uddha, f o ir
figures of the garuda.
had been as keinnaya. it is N o 81 (or <>0) o* the 103 signs
in the footprint o f the Buddha. In lacquer-ware G em ini the
W iilu
third sign o f the Zodiac is represented by a keinnaya couple
The Bhilu or Yoksho iogic) features a lot in the Jataka in place o f the usual twins. There are three kinds o f keinnaya:
stories. There arc differant kinds o f bhilus, who are higher the bird, the h u m an and the deva keinnuyas. In painting
and " ore powerful than anim als, in Vidhura-jataka, the and sculptures the bird variety yf the most com m on - the
Y ykl.ha Pcnnak.-t is the fiance o f ttse serpent girl Iranasi ones with talons. The h um an keinnaya hat, - lo th ^
visit
and he :il-trept.s he Bodiiisai a Vidhtira, In the B u d d h a s some ornaments. The d.^va kein navas ha-"' mor*- ornaments
time A lavaka was aprate powerful yakkha. R avana or than the hum an ones, in the scriptures the kinnar-s are
Dasagiri .m R am ayana is a gra! yakha too.

often portrayed as passionate lovers who are loyal to each

Shwei' sawa lacquerware, m a n u s c rip t

chest , Am arapura p e r io d .

H in t h a

fro m

m u r a l,

P a g a n H in t ii front m u ra ! at T ilokaguru
cit vc, Sagaing, A va period.

the sun is always represented by a horse. The use ol the

other.

Both the Burmese arid Thais seem to*be fond o f peacock for the sun began in K onbhaung period. In the
keinnayus. But there is this difference: unlike the Thai 108 o f the B u d d h a s footprint N o 83 is the peacock. In
keinnayas the Burmese ones have their breasts and nether Y atanapo n period the peacock is used oil the observe side
])arts covered. In latter periods the wings are attached to o f the coin. D uring the nationalist movement the peacock
the arms, too. The dress styles o f the keinnaya in m ural came to the forefront.
, Peacock figures in circles on thuzinkhwei patterns in
paintings reflect those o f the people in those days. M ore
wood, stone and stucco carvings o f the keinnaya were the w ood sculptures o f the Princess Monastery and the
Queen Mothers Monastery arc witness to the masterliness
done in the A m arap ura period.
1'he keinnaya that has fascinated me is a copper o f the design artist. The wood peacock in the Monastery
figure on a hand-loom in Kyachaung, Chaung-u, M o n y w a v o f G angaw village on Pagan Singu mortorway is a wonderful
work o f art.

Sphinx or Manussiha

A Mantissiha (Bur pro. m ano uth ih a) is the figure with the

d e /a s head and lio n s body (double-bodied). It was not
found i!. Pagan era. it was first m entioned in Kalyani
inscriptions c f T>"gu (1479 A .D .). Legend has it that the
devuS
iiie fo im s o f these strange monsters to drive
away the ogges terrorising ifuvannabhum i 2000 years ago.
It was only 500 years ago that manussihas came to be
found in our pagodas precints. Most o f the manussihas
1 have studied aie not older than 300 years. They are works
o f either early K o nbhaung or m id- konbhaung periods. The
manussM.as at T auntham an K yauklaw kyi, A m arap ura, are
magnificent in their im mensity. 1'he one at M e Bhayek
ivlound although ruined is very beautiful. The figures ai
the corners o f S andainuni* A m a ra p ura, are graceful, too.

Chinthei or iiep
The lion o f the Buddhist scriptures is ;aid to be Kasaraja,
King o f the lions, stronger ajd mightier than the lion of
the forest, it is N o 68 in the 108 signs o f the B u u d h a s
footprint. In Burmese art the lion is greatly stylised, a
design with kanout patterns, no longer recognisable as the
flesh and blood anim al. Bu. the Pyu lion in SriksSvua
M useum is very m uch the natural lion. The stucco lion
unearthed at Beitthano has some kanout patterns on it.
In Pagan, the stone lions have no ornam entations at all.
O nly in H payathonsu murals do we find kanout on she
lions. The little lion in the western stairway o f Shweisikhon
looks very Ind ian.
!

The stucco lion's o f A m arap m a have diffeent styles

o f kanout designs on them. The lion at the top o f the
western stairway at Shweigukyi Pagoda, A m arap ura, is
remarkable for Its size as w-eh a*; grae.nui kanout designs.
Peacock
There are very fine pieces of chinthei o f A m arapura type
A lthough it is said the peacock has been used since the
at M andalay too.
days o f Pagan, it was not earlier than A va that the Burm eie
took seriously o f the symbol. Tne same is true o f the
peacock as the symbol o f the sun. In Pagan mural paintings
A N IM A Lb A N D B IR D S

9?

341. G old bracelet uneaihed at VTyr

ni u, Pyu Era.

347. From a B uddha footprint, stone,

A va Period.
342. G old ornament found near Kume,
M yittha, Pyu Era.

343 G o'd Buddha image from Srikshctra, Prome, Pyu Era,

n

344. Stone image rrom Srikshetra

Prome, Pyu Fra.

346. Detail from she m ural o f Na adam antly a pagoda, Pagan Period.
-

345. Embossed

silver

'

Buddha

image

fr o m

Srikshetra,

prom e. Pyu Era.

a

N U M A LS a n d

b ir d s

350. Stone Makara from a pagoda.

A m a-tpuru.

355. From nativity scene, stone. Pagan.

v'3

Stone

sculpture

boro

Pagan

Paga, i

357. From a m ural in Hpayy-ngasu,

Pagan.

p%&J*U

!
354. Siamese
Pagan.

J
fw in

h intha,

si one,

356. From a m ural. Pagan.

363. Stucco iio iii East H pw a Saw,

Pagan.

Stone sculpture from Nan-paya, Pagan

359. Stone sculpture rom Nan-paya.

3(>0. Stucco at Stivveikukyi, Pagan.

Paean.

361. Stone sculpture

Pagoda, Pagan.

rom

A iuuula
^

362. Stone sculpture from

Pagoda, Pagan.

A nanda

364. Stucco rom West H pw a Saw,

Pagan.

366. M ural at T ilokaguru cave, Sa

gaing, Ava Period.

367. Sh\ieisawa lacquerwarc. m a n ir

script chest, Aronrapury Pci !od.

36'v From the bronze bell at Shwe

sikhon, Nyaung-u, Ava Period.

368. Stucco from a pagoda at Amarapura, A m arapura Period.

37 i . Hintha.

M2. Bronze weights o f various sizes,

A m arapura Period.

373. Bronze weights o f various si.

late Y aian ap o n.

i' 374. Bronze weights o f various sLes

laie Y atanapo n, collection o f U V'n
Fvi a u 11 g .
s

376. W o od sculpture on top of pole

i, agoda, M odei n.
3/8. Embossed sandstone figure <v
elephant in earring, Pagan Period

i w 7
X ,-

Tt fn\r^

377. Embossed sandstone figure at

cave in Nyaun^-u, Pagan Period.

380. M ural in N an Ja m a n n y * pago<:

From a m u n i, P-grp fV n o a .

10!

A N IM A L S A N D B IR D ?

Pagan Period.

81. Stucco, P agan Period.

387. Albaster lig u ie at a m onash

ir? Butalin, A m arap ura Period.

382. Orgre on three elephants, from a

385. Stucco, A m arapura Period,

nuirai. Pagan Period.

388. Monkey-ogre wood carving at

Kyaw A un g Sanhta monastery, A m a
rapura, A m arap ura Period.

383 Stone figure at A n a n d a pagoda,

Pagan Period.

386. W o o d sculpture at Shweikukyi

pagoda, A m a ra p ura Period.

390. Low-ranking ogress, Yatariapon.

Period.

391. Masks used in R am ayana play

M ahiravanna, Y atanapo n Period,

389. H igh-ranking

ogre,

probably

based on Thai m odel, Y atanapo n.

Period.

393,. Masks used in Ram ayana play.

G u m b higanta, Y atanapon Period.

392. Masks used in R am ayana play.

M eghanada
Period.

(Indacitta),

Y a la n ^ o n
394. Unnamed ogre, Yatanapon Period.

395. H an u m a n the monkey dem on,

Y atanapon Period.

396. Unnamed ogre, Yatanapon Period.

397. tVlonkey-soldier,
probably
w8. W o o d carving as wall decoration, ogre, Y atanapo n Period.

Period

T hai

origin,

R am ayana
Y atanapo i

399 . W o o d carving as wall decoration, ogre, Y atanapon Period.

400. Shweisawa lacquerware from

Kyaw .A u n g Sanhta

Monastery, A m arapura Period.

401. W o od carving a! Kyaw A ung Sanhta

A m arap ura, A m arapura Period.

MonaMci

,03. M u r a l al . K y a u k i a w k y i * i l a . n g l h a n . a n , A m arapura Period.

402. M ural at k yauktaw kyi, T aungtham an, A m arap ura

Period.

404. Stucco at Shweikukyi brick zayup (rest-house), A m a

rapura Period.
A N I M A L S A N I] B I R D S

I0o

405. W ood carving at Taungtw inkyi

M useum , A m arapura Period.

407. Stucco at Puhtotaw kyi pagoda, A m arapura Period.

406. W ood carving at Bakaya Monastery, A va, A m a ra

pura Period.

411. G o ld ring with lion, Pyu Period.

410. Copper lion at above, Pyu Period.

409. Stucco headless crouchant lion

at Beitthano, Pyu Period.

408. Stucco crouchant lion at Beitthano,

Pyu Period.

413. Clay plaque at A n a n d a pagoda,

Pagan, Pagan period.

414, Stucco figure near Indapaccaya,

Pagan, Pagan Period.

412. Stucco lion at Pagan M useum ,

Pagan Period.

415. Brick lion at Shweisikhon, Nyaungu , Pagan Period.

416. M odified brick lion at Shweisik

hon, Nyaung-u, Pagan Period.

417. Clay

plaque

Pagan Period.

from

pagoda,

418. Stone and stucco figure at Ananda

pagoda, Pagan Period.
'

419. Stucco at Myinkapa, Pagan Period.

420.-From mural at M in
pagoda, Pagan Period.
*

*
421. Stucco at Nvaune-u, Early K onbhaung Period.

112 ANIMALS AN D BIRDS

1
422. Brick at Nyaung-u, Pagan Period.

N anthu

424. Stucco at A nanda pagoda, Pagan,

423. M asonry at A n a n d a .

O riginal

425. Masonry at Seippyu, Ava Period.

Early K o nbh aun g Period.

m odified, Pagan Period (?).

ft
427. M asonry at Lezin, M onyw a, A m arapura Period
426. Masonry at A va, Ava Period.

A N IM A LS A N D BIRDS .115

429. Brick lion near Fagan, Yatanapon

Period.

428. Masonry at Shweikukyi pagoda, A m arapura, A m arap ura Period.

430. M asonry near Pagan, A m ara

pura Period.

431. Brick lion at A m arap ura, A m arapura Period.

433. Brick lion at M andalay, A m arapura Period.

432. Brick lion at A m arapura, A m arap ura Period.

434. Brick lion at A m arap ura, A m arap ura Period.

435. Brick lion at Ia u n g tw in k y i, A m arapura Period.

436. Brick lion at K yim yintaing, A m arapura, A m arapura
Period.

438. Masonry-stucco at M andalay H ill, late Y atanapon

437. Stucco lion in M andalay, A m arapura Period.

Period.

442. K innara fio m a m u ia l in Pagan,

Pagan Period.

K in n a r a from m ural at M in N anthu pagoda, Pagan Period.

443. Kinnara from a m ural, Pagan Period.

444. K innara from a m ural, Pagan Period.

445. K innara from a m ural at T ilokaguru Cave, Sagaing,

A va Period.

U l. W o od carving at old Monastery in Butalin, Ava

!Ynod.
*

450. Sculpture at la u n g b i village, Pagan, A m arapura Period.

449. Stucco at ai? old pagoda in A m a

rapura, A m arap ura Period.

451. W o o d inlaid with glass in Amarapura, A m arap ura Period.

452. W o o d sculpture at Shwei lupin

Monastery, M andalay, Yatanapon

455. W ood sculpture and zinc flowers,

15 3. W o o d . sculpture at Shwei Inp in
.ionastery, M andalay , Y ata na po n.

456. W o od sculpture and zinc flowers,

Y atanapon.

'

Y atanapon.

457. W o o d sculpture at Kyaw A un g

Sanhta Monastery, A m arapura, A m a
rapura, A m arap ura Period.

458. C opper
Period.

K innara,
i

A m a ra p u ra

459. Copper

K innara,

A m araffra

Period.

460. C opper

K innara,

A m a ra p u ra

Period

461. Copper Dragon boy, dug up

near M ingala pagoda. Pagan Period

462. f rom a mural at Penatlia Cave,

Pagan, Pagan Period.

463. Prom a mural at P uhtotham ya

cave, Pagan, Pagan Period.

465, W ood carving at Butalin, A\p

P eriod.

468. Mural at Sulamani Pagoda, Pagan,

A va Period.

164. C opper statue dug up at A m a ra

pura, Pagan Period (?).

466, Nine gragons sheltering the Buddha,

wood sculpture, at Y aukkaw museum,
R angoon. A va Period.

U l l U1
UiC u
u u w im
467. Stone footprint
o f the
Buddha
at Yatana M yinzu pagoda, M andalay,
at
Ava Period.

469. W ood carving at an old monastery,

SSlei, A va Period.

470. Mural at Tilokaguru Cave, Sagaing

4/u. lviuicu <
H ill, A va Period.
A N IM A L S A N D B IR D S

123

473.
472. M ural at cave in H po U H ill, Ava Period.

t.

Period.

474. M ural at cave in H p o U H ill, A va Period.

476. W o o d sculpture with glass inlay

177. W o o d decoration for an ox cart, T aungtw inkyi, Y atanapo n Period.

from Taungtwinkyi, Yatanapon Period.

A N IM A LS A N D BIRDS 125

480. Stone sculpture at A m arapura,

A m arapura Period.

479. M ural at Pagan-three faced G aruda, Pagan Period.

481. W ood sculpture at Bakaya monastery, A va,

A m arapura Period.

482. Purapaik folding book, Mandalay,

Y atanapon Period.

483. W ood sculpture at Salei, Y atanapon Period.

484. G aru da swallowing naga (dragon), wooden sculpture

at the top of a pole in a bell stand, K utholtaw pagoda,

486. Stucco G aruda from Sbweikyimyint Pagoda. M an

M andalay, late Y atanapon.

dalay, Y atanapo n Period.

187. W o od

sculpture at M andalay ,

489. Wood sculpture at 1aungiwmk\i,

v , , , n , n n . i P,.rir>d

490. Sphinx (M ano utth ih a) in mural

at an old library at Pagan, Amarapura Period.

Y alanapon Period.

491. Stucco M a n o u tth ih a at Pagan,

492. Stone M a no u tth ih a at Sagaing,

A m arapura Period.

Ava Period.

A N IM A L S A N D B IR D S 129
V

494. Stucco Manoutthiha at A m a ra

pura, A m arapura Period.

495. Stucco M anou tth ih a at south

M andalay, A m arapura Period.
493. Stone sculpture at M andalay
palace, Y atanapon Period.

496. Copper from the bell at Shwedagon, R ang oon , A m arap ura Period.

497. Stucco M a n o u tth ih a at A m a ra

pura, A m arapura Period.

498. Stucco M anou tth ih a at Aungmyeishweibon P agoda, A m arap ura,

A m arapura Period.

503. Peacock,

m ural at

Nyaung-u,

Pagan Period.

499. W o o d Sculpture at M andalay ,

501. Stucco at K yaukaw kyi Pagoda,

Y atanapon Period.

A m a ra p u ra Period.

500. P urapaik
a io ti.

draw ing,

Y atanapon

502 Bov on peacock, mural at Pagan,

'
. ,
Pagan Period..
<

504 Peacock, mural at Pagan, Pagan

iv .in .l
Pciiod.

505. Peacock from stone footprints

o f B uddha, A m arapura Period.

,508. W o od carvings at A m arap ura,

A m arap ura Period*

507. W o o d carvings at A m arap ura, A m arapura Period.

MO. W o o d
509. W o o d carving to decorate a tabic. M onyw ei, A m arapura Period

carving

to

decorate

table, M onyw ei, A m arapura Period.

511. W o od relief from A m arap ura,

A m arapura Period.

515. Shwesawa

lacquerw are

Ywathiskyi, A m arapura Period.

from

512. W o od relief from A m arap ura,

A m arapura Period.

516. Clay

pipes

from

A m arapura Period.

A m arap ura,

513. W o o d relief from A m a ra p u ia ,

A m arapura Period.

517. W o o d sculpture at Bakaya m o

nastery,^ A va, A m arapura Period.

I 1). W ood carving at an old loom in

t haung-u, late Y atanapon Period.

521. Peacock boy wood sculpture

decorating race boat, late Y atanapon
Period.

520. Purapaik drawing from Sagamg,

laic Yatanapon Peiiod.

esigns in Pagodas and other building;

h , 1

522 B iw ba w k y i, perhaps the oldest

p ig o d i in Burm a, Pyu Ear.

523. Bawbaw kyi, perhaps the oldest

pagoda in Burm a, Pyu Ear.

A nyone interrested in traditional Burmese design will have

to study anient buildings such as pagodas, temples, m onas
teries, where all branches o f arts and crafts meet: m asonry,
sculpture, painting, etc. The ancient Burmese did their best
to make religious buildings look beautiful rather than their
own homes. So if one wants to study Burmese art, or
Burmese architecture for that matter, one has to go to the
great temples o f Pagan and monasteries o f m id-Konbhaung
and Y atanapon periods.
1 have no intention of talking about Burmese architecture
in this book. M y aim here is to discuss the decorations
found in the architectural achievements o f the dneient
Burmese : the stucco and stone sculptures, (he elaborate
wood carvings, the murals. I have singled out certain pagodas
and temples to emhasise the Bermeseness o f the design as
distinct from the temples o f other Buddhist countries. The
decoration on the portals, stairways, brick seintaungs, will
illustrate the im agination o f the artists.
lust as the stone sculptures o f Pagan are o f a very
high standard, so the wood carvings o f m id-Konbhaung
or A m arapura and Y atanapon are models o f excellence.

524. Bawbaw kyi, perhaps the oklt

hi
pagoda in Burm a, Pyu Ear.

O nly a few examples o f the wood sculptures o f Pagan ai

can be fo und today. W e can still admire the woodw. < 1
on the doorway at Shweisikhon, the carving on the b e a n :
at Nagayon cave temple, and some others. The stu;
sculptures o f the latter eras cannot compare with thos<' r
Pugam period.
T am oaw ati, Shanpwe, and the district around Malm
m uni Pagoda in M andalay arc the home o f sculptors. On
may say another home o f Burmese sculptors is the area *
the east o f the Shwedagon Pagoda in R angoon.
'The architectural decorations that have won my h n
are the stucco works o f Pagan, and the sculptures at M
N u s brick monastery and Bakaya monastery at A
Shweigukyi pagoda, Puhfotaw kyi, T aungm inkyi pap' !
and the area around, Y oupson Kyaung and Leitha K\a'";<
at Salei, Shwei Kyaung and Slnve-inpin Kyaung in M andrl >.
W e need architects with historical foresight to stnT
the architecture o f our ancient works. Then we will u <
those who will be skillful enough to bring Burmese ai<T;
tecture to the ranks o f world architecture.

525. i tic great Shwcidagoii Pagoda, R angoon.

1-5

526.

MH

The Shweisikhon Pagoda, Nyaung-u, Pagan

IV\ (H)nAS A N D B U IL D IN G S

Period.

S Q O S S O O Q C P

,13

ee

r~ Q

IL U

A i i i i n t W c tr ip le

ij 1 '
gidtimi
n
a
V rt i B! tk %a tf!aK ^

i)--'

527

...

-Vi

The A nanda temple, Pagan, Pagan Period.

PAGODAS A N D BUILDINGS

1 l >

528. The T habbannyu temple, Pagan, Pagan Period.

529. T h e S u l c i

Pagoda,

Rangoon.
P A G O D A S

A N D

IUHI .D IN G S

14 1

V -

v'\

. Pyatihad or inrrct iron) llie

wrals o f Pagan, Pagan Period.

532. Pyatthad or turret from the

murals o f Pagan, Pagan Period.

533. P yatihad or turret Iroin the

murals ol Pagan, Pagan Period.

i)
/)

y/
-

'V I

!W '-j

f([C~

34. M iniature portals on the A nanda

emple, Pagan, Pagan Period.

535. M iniature portals on the A nanda

temple, Pagan, Pagan Period.

536. M iniature portals on the A nanda

temple, Pagan, Pagan Period.

537

Kyaikpon

Pagoda,

Pegu.

M8.

Drawinii o f

kvaikpnn

Pagoda,

Pegu.

y
* 3*
h
i \ \j

0$iX0?]

\V

! *v (,<..-r
!-v^V' TtrfnW//'\ r
W . M V
rJ :
y
f-vV L i'- O j
V\\
t^cO T t

dJ/' ii'
i f i f ^': ^ j ;,/
u .6 6 ->;j

.....^

539. Stone entrance to cave at llp o u

540. Stone entrance to W inkaba Cave

541. Stone entrance to M akaik Cave

hill Salinkyi, Ava Period.

at Hpo-u hill Salinkyi

a! Hpo-u hill Salinkyi.

>12. Stone entrance lo S lm c iih a l

yuunglei Cave a t:Hpo-u hill Salinkyi.

5-43. Slone enhance lo K unsinliim g

Cave at Hpo-u hill Sai'inkyi.

M l . Slone enhance lo kunsm taing

( ave at Hpo-u lull Salinkyi.

'i

a dragon head to cave at Hpo-u hill

346. Stone entrance in the shape o f

a dragon head to cave at Hpo-u hill

547. Bell stand from a iaequerware

S.i ii nk v i .

Salinkyi.

m a n u s c r i p t chest, A m a i a p u i a P e i i o d

545. Stone entrance in the shape o f

P A C O D A S A N D B U I I I >JN( ,S

J4 S

* ?!

549. Brick rest house in A m arapura, A m arapura Period.

:VL Brick balusters at Y atananiy iu/u

Pagoda, Mandalay-

553 . Brick balusters at Y atanam yin/u

Pagoda, M andalay.

^4 - Biick balusters at Y a iananiy in /u

Pagoda, M andalay

PAC i( >1>AS A N D 1UU1 1 )IN (.S

147

55S. Brick b a l u s t e r s at Y a !a n a m v i n/ . u
Pagoda, M andalay.

558. Pediment on the portal

pagoda in P ak h o k ku .

556. Pediment on the portal

pagoda in P akhokku.

of

557. Pediment on the portal

pagoda in P akhokku.

oi

of a

559. Pediment on the portal

pagoda in P akhokku.

of

Hrick I(-'s< house at Y atanam yiu/u Pagoda, M andalay, late Y atanapon

!. (a te u a v al Y ala n a m y in /u Pagoda, M aikiaiay, lale \ alanapon.

5b2. Have brackets rom old pagodas

.u A m arapura, A m arapura ' Per iod.

563. Liave brackeis rom old pagodas

al A m arapura, A m arapura Peruul.

M>4. l.avc biackeis h o n i old pagoda.1

al A m a ia p m a , A m a ia p m a P u iu d .

P A G O D A S A N D 11 UJ I . DI NGS

I 4 l>

A/

565. Sl ne.co 11 out ok! pagodas

A m arapura, A m arapura Period

al

567. From Aungmyei Shweibon Pagoda,

A m arapura, A m arapura Period.

566. Stucco from old pagodas

A m arapura, A m arapure Period.

at

568. Tonaya (fabulous creature) at

Aungmyei Shweibon Pagoda, A m a ra
pura, A m arapura Period.

569. Slone (lowers at Aungmyei Shwei

bon Pagoda, A m arapura, A m arapuia
Period.

n a m y r n / u P a go d a , M a n d a l a y , A m a i a
j >111a P e r i od .

0.

Stucco flowers, at head o f stair-

ase found at old pagodas at Amaraaira, A m arapura Period.

vi. Stucco flowers at head o f stair

ise found al old pagodas at Amara
m a, A m arap uta Peiiod.

572. Stucco flowers al head oi stair

case fo und at old pagodas at A m a ra
pura, A m arap ura Period.

574. Balusters and pillars at Yata

nam vin/u Pagoda, M andalay, Amara
p m a Peiiod.

575. Balusters and pillars at Yatanamyinzu Pagoda, M andalay, Amarapm a i 'el lod .

P A i ;o h a s a n d

i n di i )I N( ;s

iss

578. Stucco pediment and balusi

at A m arapura, A m arapura Period
W

576. Balusters and pillars a( Yala

namyin/.ii Pagoda, M andalay, Amara
pura Period.

57V. Stucco pediment and balusters

at A m arapura, A m arapura Period.

580. Stucco pediment and baluster

at A m arapura, A m arapura Period
- ?:

H
581. Stucco flowers from pagodas at P ak h ok ku , A m arapura Period.

n ~ y .w \

584. Balusters al a pagoda in Pagan,

Parly k o n h bau ng.

586. Stucco baluster at T hekkyathiha

Pagoda, Mandalay, Yatanapon Period.

Suicco al .head o f .staircase al

N ils brick monastery at Ava,
i.uaptira Period.

Balusters at a pagoda in Pagan,

v' k o nh bau ng.

585. Brick baluster at Shweim outhtay

Pagoda, Pakhokku, Amarapura Period.

I S) P A G O D A S A N D IU HI D I N G S

587. Stucco stand for o iM am p al

Sithushin Pagoda, Pakhankyi, Amara
pura Period.

588. Stucco baluster at A ungm yei

Shweibon Pagoda, A m arapura, A m a
rapura Period.

591. Stucco baluster at Shweigukyi

P ag o d a , A m a ra p u r a , A m a i apura
Period.

590. Stucco

589. Stucco baluster at Slnveikyekyek

P a g o d a , A m a ra p u r a , A m a ra p u ra

P ag o d a ,

Period.

Shweigi'
Amarar

Period.

Period.

592. Stucco baluster at

P a g o d a . A m a ra p u r a ,

baluster at

A m a ra p u r a ,

i
Shweigukyi
A m a ra p u ra

Stucco baluster at SI iwcm '

- -
,.
P ag o d a ,
m a ra p u u ,
I>en0d'

PAGODA& AND B UILDINGS

l v--

ress styles
Burmese dress styles have changed a lot through the ages.
To learn how we clothed ourselves hundreds o f years ago
we have to turn to m ural paintings, pufapaik paintings,
wood and stone or stucco sculptures, Shweisawa lacquerware, and so on. A book ^n Ihe subject came out in 1951.
It was by the noted scholar Shw eikaingtha U T haw bhita.
The book contributed a great deal to our understanding
o f the dress styles o f our ancestors.
The dress styles o! the mural paintings o f Pagan
resemble those o f Ind ia.* The hairdos ol both men and
women have strands curling up. All wear big earrings or
amulets in their ears. They wear armbarjds, close-fitting
garments with short sleeves, waistbands and girdles. The
robes o f kings have very beautiful patterns on them. Men
wear long brerds and moustaches. Both men and women
wear necklaces.
The costumes ol Ava differ considerably from Pagan
in that they are now more Chinese than Indian. People
now come to wear garments with long sleeves worn loosely
round the body and paitcd m front. Men wear headdresses
while women wear tall topknots. They have shawls hung
over their shoulders. In the high-relief clay plaques of Pegu,
women seem to wear double skirts.
In early K onbhaung men wear headdresses and nothing
on their bodies down to the waist although some put on
long-sleeved closefitting jackets. Their puhso or sarong is
long too. W om en wear their hair in a bun. Their skirt is
higVi enough to cover the breasts and a few wear long-sleeved
jackets. In the murals o f A nanda brick monastery, Kyaung u
Pagoda nearby, (Jpali Theirn Kam m a pagoda, men wear laced
jackets like women. Their topknots an bound in thin laced
turbans. Their skirts are long and loose.
M id-K onbhaung dress styles can be seen in the murals
o f the Kyauktaw kyi pagdda at A m arap ura. They are closer

Kingly apparel -mural in Loka-hteippan temple, Pagan

iod.

to those o f Y atanapo n, although the A m arap ura jackets

seem to be longer. The headdresses or turbans o f men com
to be veried to denote the social position o f the wearer.
The acheit patterns o f sarongs are first found in MidK onbhaung murals. They are the rage in Y atanapon days.
W o m en in A m arapura and M andalay periods use a piece
of cloth called yinsiy to cover their breasts. Their jacket
is called Htaingmatheim, long-sleeved and close-fitting.
W hile the girls o f Pagan seem inclined to display their
breasts, the maids o f Y atanapon take greate care to hide
them.
The costumes in Y atanapon period are insignia o f
social position. The artists o f those days take great pains
to see to it their paintings reflect the rule o f the day.
* P erhaps th e y 'are the dress styles o f In d ia a n d not the costum es o f the
natives o f P a g a n .- T r a n s la to r.

597. Sandstone head a! Pagan, Pagan

P eriod.

596. King S u ddhodana shows baby Siddhattha to recluse Devila stone 1

in A n a n d a Cave Temple, Pagan, Pagan Period.
D R E S S S T Y L E S 1^7

lone carvings at A nanda temple, Pagan, Pagan Period. (Archaeological Survey p! India Annual Report, 1913-14).
i :>s

D R E S S ST Y L E S

599. Stone carvings at A n a n d a temple, Pagan, Pagan Period. (Archaeological Survey o f India A nnu a l Report, 191.* >
DRESS STYLES

15^

Paean, Paean Period.

601. Nativity at I oka-hteippan temple. Pagan, Pagan Period.

J)

,\V'

,v

>\

Vi

wi< 111raI at Phutothamya, Pagan,

i \i in Period.
oo

dress

styles

r604. Women in mural al Five Pagodas,

Pagan, Pagan Period.

605. W o m e n s hair-styles in mural at Pagan, Pagan Period.

DRESS STYLES i ' *

606.
i a2 DRESS STYLES

W o m en in clay relief excavated at Pegu, H anthawati Period,

andsione relief at Kokkanthein Pagoda, Arakan (>00 years ago)

60K. W o m e n s hair Myles Irom s
DRESS STYLES

i Women in the murals at H po U Hill, Ava Period.

11,-I

DRESS STYLES

M i . M m al al i'aiMii - wcimii.se and

child, . A va Pcnod.

012. Murai m id o k a g u iu ( a s e , Sagamg Hill, Ava Period.

6FV Copper statuette lnnn Slnveisikhon

Pagoda, Nvaun-u, A va Period.

614. Clay figure fourni al Pronie

(Albert Musum) 16 or 17 Cent.

615, Stone slatuelte lomul at old

pagodas a( A m arapura, Amarapura

617. Slone statuette fourni at old

pagodas af A m arapura, A m a r apura

Per io d .

Period

616. Slone slatuelte lound al old

pagodas al A m a r a p m a . Amarapura
Period.

;r,

618. Stone W o m an in Pagan Musum,

Early' Konhbaim g.

haung.
DRESS STYLES

16/

6,4 H-.ir-s.vle, of Y atanapon

624. Hair styitYatanapon Period.

per.od iron, a purapaik,

625. Ha.r-siyles of Y a.anap on period from a p .,a n :

Y a ta n a p o n
Period.
DRESS STYLES

169

--

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" t f ' '73

6tvxioccdco^

626. Hair styles of Y atanapon period from a purapaik, Y atanapon Period.

DRESS STYLES

r(*,3&i

13

170

76

Zi 1

S 3 1A X S SS3H
p o n o j [n ( Ir ii! )t?,v 'fnd n in d r m o ij p o riad i i o d r u r i r v jo r>i<is u r n

____

'lQ no
Cj(^ujoi^vCC

^ijuJ

r?sj* .

i - *> <s

r f

t. V

!c U b

S r

[occvcv

cl

,
f
X J

\^

_lOCp&^pT'

s e

iccsx*^
^rr&T&z^ ^

~
' 1

hS

, ^ - x -

,%

57

C: r:pf}

OJ

1* ^

i'tl ^ r ^ L ' a v c a i ^ .

cn

Lv

629. Hair-styles of' Yatanapon period from a purapaik, Yaianapon Period.

632. H andm aids at the Royal Court o f M andalay, Yatanapon Period.

DRESS STYLES

I7 r

< Handmaids at the Royal Court of Mandalay, Yatanapon

634. C o m m on er family from mural in Kyauktawkyi Pagoda

A m arapura, A m arap ura Period.

635. C o m m oner family from mural in Kyauktawkyi Pagoda,

636. W o m a n in late Konhbaung or British Mandaia

A m arap ura, A m a ra p ura Period.

from a photo.

i an

styles o f (lie late Yatanapon (the 1900s - photos).

i , .s D R E S S ST Y LE S

638. Hair-styles o f the late Yatanapon the 1900s * photos,

640. M e n s turbans from the in

639. Middle class man and woman, late Yatanapon (the

1900s).

at M a h a m u n i Pagoda, Mandai

it

a leus

i.11 u s,11a y.

turbans from the murals at M a h am u n i Pagoda,

642. M e n s turbans from old photos.

644. G ir ls cerem onial headdre

by pricesses in the old days, an
an y b o d y to d a y , late Yatanapo643. M e n s tu rb a n s fro m o ld p ho tos.

DRESS STYLES

* nrl in the 1900s from a photo

DRESS STYLES

Textile designs
ti

One textile design the Burmese have loved for twodiundred

years ir; the lun yakyaw acheit (over hundred-shuttle aeheit)
design, it is suitable for men and women. Both the weft
and the warp are pure silk threads and from over a hundred
to two hundred shuttles are used according to the design
to be worked on. The weaving takes days and the fabric
is ihus expensive. Only (he well-to-do can afford it. But
in the villages cotton is used and the design modified to
produce cheaper versions.
!n the days o f Burmese kings only the royalty and
certain high officials were allowed to wear acheit fabrics.
They are other beautiful textile designs in Burm a,
especially the designs used by our indigenous tribes on
what is called gyapkhout hand-loom. But in this chapter
i will disscuss only over-hundred-shuttle acheit and textile
designs found in the mural paintings.
A m o n g the mural paintings o f Pagan, the one in
Lawka-hteippan temple is very interesting. There in the
B u d d h a s birth scene, Queen Maya has a skirt on which
has a wonderful design, patterned with circles alternately
containing a hintha bird and 'a flower. The robes o f the
kings in the murals have beautiful designs too.
Apart from woven fabrics there were dyeing and
printing in the past, i have read. Queen M a y a s skirt may
be a print.
The design from M yohaung (Mrauk-u), Arakan, was
copied from stone slabs sculptured in bold relief at Hiukkantheim and Shisthaung temples.
In A va murals there are no remarkable textile designs.
1he artists sqem unable to reproduce the elaborate designs
wore in life. In the murals in Upali therm executed during
the early days o f Konbhaung, we find acheit designs with
waves and clouds in them. In mid-Konbhaung murals men
wear chequered or striped sarongs while women wear acheit
designs.
Tye royal costumes also include fabrics done in ap
plique and dyed cloths. These usually carry very beautiful
designs: flower blossoms, peacocks, hintha, parakeets,
other birds, kanout arabesques. The royalty also put on
silk, satin, velvet and imported materials.
The Burmese have separate dress designs for the men
and the women, for the elderly and the young, not to
mention those for the fair and the dark, the tall and the
short, the fat and the skinny, and so on.

647. Patterns from Pagan murals, Pagan Period.

rx \

sz

aiterns, from Pauan murals, Pauan Period.

-A^T,

i jiess patterns from the murals in l.oka-hteippan Temple,

Period.

(i5(). Swan and flower design from the skirl o f Queen Maya
in ihe naiivity scene at 1 o.ka htcippan Temple, Pagan Period.

651. Patterns from the embossed stone figures at Shitthaung

Temple in Mrauk-u, Arakan.

652. Patterns

from

l.uiiv Konhbaung.

Pagan

murals,

653. Patterns

from

Parly Konhbaung.

Pagan

murais,

654. Patterns from Sagaing and i '

murals, Ava Period.

i^ # S I N
S liiiS 1 8 E :i
^ ssasS s^ ^
miwh*
v;

'^SP*Wmmmi ^~rii
\ ^ ^ J : } : ^ V z ': V ivV -' 3

656. Patterns from Sau nng ind Pagan

murals, Ava Period.

i X :/ .W

s<V /.iv
"';-"

>tB

> f>atterns from Sagaing and Pagan

ii als, Ava Period.

657. Patterns from Sagaing and Pagan

murals, Ava Period.

.js?
, /

; >
^'

. %V;

' ^ X \
.M - .V -

/ \

.!?>?;;->. ;;:'

.'''"'.1.

t e i '~

'i-l

W
,

,4

658. Seven strings and flower Sannder s

666. Two strings.

662. Hpe hlaing.

school, Amarapura.

ZM

VV

'/
r 'Ny*
r rJ
r*<.*-/

N H I

' t "'*

M uK H N

659. l ive strings and flower Saunders

weaving school, A m arapura.

'h / 'fc

667. Five strings.

663. Four strings twisted.

.y660. H teip khaung-t in siring and

llowef Saunders weaving school,
A m arapura.

668. Five strings and flower.

'

664. Three strings.

WBB 1

aE R fH E

>V

'y^y^ ,

V'
.v;

* ... **V
. .
v

-si'gi1-

Hlt,s'f

669. Three strings and flower.

T E X T IL E D E S IG N S

IS7

674. Ruby and linked leaves or Bur

mese figure 3 and linked leave.

'

'f i

f> V

079. Gold and silver Strings alternated.

t - <-7

' I . Mountain o f five strings.

/'.

675. Greater Ffteip-khaung-tin string.

1 S,' <>.?,v
680. Another
leaves.

mJ

,SW\'
,/f7' '
u,m'
\ Swan and flower.

- .V i/ ,

"X

m$%,

'
> , -%*'

3 and

ti/t "

Figure

ME

C'

678. Five strings.

'<
.

676. Uteip-khaung-tin string

' .-'I',, tu j

681. M ountain o f live strings.

-r.;- .,; !'! 'i&'i-K. '" ' i "'-

. .<-. "-.'- *..*' .;

--c.:r'/:i-flr';-:
*?

_t
M. l ive strings and flower.

' 5 '

?V ;
677. Seven strings and flower.

S5"

682. I "our strings twisted.

linked

68 3. Four strings.
,%^-f

M f i

; S ":"
.;-^ar^.v -. i

. ^j.;.viiV:;*
pr

i J

^y /**

..

id.

**' '&'? /I.J.

693*. f o u n t a i n of five strings.

H s a u n ta w - n flo w e r.

'

68^

H i isif#*!: ;

I uo 'nine'- iwisled

S fi

691

Hpe-hlaing n y u n t .

s&

^ 's

s r

686. Sinele string and flower.

^

***' *

*Ji'

ty**

;y .S y h v m L f
'

ji^

-HliAti'r

!,'i

>V( Cite :->

}

687. F ig u re 3 a n d lin k e d leaves

69 2. S a p e n w e .

695. Seven strings and flower.

T E X T IL E D E S IG N S

189

704. Three-string \me.

~r') S n i f f o r 'irked flov'er

i
I
_.uby and linked leaves-?

701. Five strings and Howei

h
,

705. Tapa-hteiptin.

R f l^ M
: ( y - '

m.

f-

if"

1 1 ,r m

706. Thazin-khwei.

9S. G r e a t e r H t e i p - k h a u i ig - t in .

702. Single vine.

v '- V

i
' ^

>9, 'Hteip-khaung-tin.

j **V

".-r:-

703, Seven strings and flower.

I
707, Five strings and flower

i^:-"!'-'!

^ -fcW* ib mi.V* \r!' X

h iW :y .:;-.

7!2. Masa Kvo

/ ' *'

v i m m m m
708. Kyokyi Chcit.

713. Hpc hlaing nyunt.

717. Pattern
murals

of

from

Upali

the
sima.

Pagan - Early konhbaunc

Period.

709. Sea wave (but no resemblance io waves)

710. Two strings and linked leaves.

iu fc

. A jJL A ^ 4 JU J k JL J L A A A A A d

716. Acheit pattern froth a skirt in Victoria and A

Museum.

viiscellaneous

Food containers, pots and boxes from Shweisawa lacquerware manuscript chests found in Pagan, A m arap ura

I S.

\i lod.

u his chapter i will try to discuss some objects o f everyday

oe which reveal the design techniques o f the ancient artists:
.misters, pipes, coins, toys and other small things.

were the fashion. A clay pipe o f unique shape with a hu m an

figure on it and judged to be very old can be seen in the
Shweihponpwint Museurri at Prbme. I have made a drawing

I have.dranw the designs o f most canisters and boxes

nun wall paintings. Some are from shweisawa lacquer
Manuscript chests called sataiks. There are various shapes
m i sizes o f them, some made o f wood, others o f coconut
hells; Some are the shape of a quail, some a cock, some

o f it.

bud, some a frog, and so on. Tl\pse village craftsmen may

The tubes of the pipes were made o f perishable material

and so when we unearth a clay pipe only the bowl is there
without the tube. It is very rare to find hu m an head-shaped
clay pipes most take the form bhilu, monkey-ogre, peacock,

hintha, pidgeon, other birds, and others.

,i si be great artists but they do show some amount o f

ieativity. I like the frog best, it looks like a real frog and
,t , all the marks o f a masterfully crafted work o f art.
mugs

It is a pity we are no longer producing these beautiful

today although in the villages they are still using

hat has been handed from generations past.*

'ipes
lay pipes seem to have been in vogue in early and mid..nbhaung periods. (In Yatanapon period cheroots made
: caves o f maize were the fashion). The poetess Me Khwei
me; Have a smoke, please, so saying he handed me
Pipe two inches long. Fro n this it is clear not only men
i
! women smoked pipes in those days o f 200 years ago.
per pipes were not much used, and only claypipes

Coins
The designs on coins o f various periods are very interesting.
The symbols on the coins of Pyus found at Hanlin, Beitthano,
Srikshetra, are meaningful. O n the obverse side are the
sun, the m o on, conch, .swastika, Srivasta, a wave, bindu
dot etc., and on the reverse side are bhaddapitha, the rising
sun, etc. Arakanese coins, said to be as old as Pyu coins,
bear the same designs o f Srivatsa, sun, m o on, conch, bindu
dot as well as a cow figure and are o f equally high standard.
O n the coins o f Pegu we find peacock, tiger, frog, hare,
deer, snake, lion, water-pot, holy man, bindu dot. Very
few f^eguan coins have been found and the standard o f
their designs is not very high.
No coin from Pagan period has ever come down to us.
During the reign o f King Badon o f A m ra p u ra coins

'719.

food

containers,

pots

anti

boxes

lYoin

Shweisawa

lacquerwarc

m a n u s c rip t- chests

Io

u ik

I in

Pagan,

A m aiapuM

Period.

bearing a tiger and twin gudgeons were minted. The design

was a poor one. in Yatanapon or Mandalay Period coins
with peacocks were made. Not only silver but copper coins
came to be used. There were hare coins, nava coins, too.

Toys

O f the teaditional Burmese toys, only five will be given

here as representative of the art. Burmese toys are remarkable
for their painting which without trying to imitate the real
thing gives only the chatacteris!ic features.

Yamin youp
1he dall of the pretty girl, this toy is made from rags and
some coloured paper. The eye, the eyebrows and the m ounth
are stuck up with coloured 1bread. Although it is hung on
strings, it is not a puppet. It has (lie kind of beauty that
you will remember. There are no craftsmen now who can
make these doll#s. The dolls used to;be produced at Sagaing.

The horse
It has all the characteristics of a horse but it is q u i t e di*
ferent from toy horses of other countries. Its head a n d
legs can move as those of the puppet. I he way it is p a i n i r d
makes it a loveable thing. In nat sin or shrines it is o t i c n
offered to the nat named Lord o f the White Horse. !
horses are still being produced at Sagaing.

Toy tiger
Both are painted wooden toys. No attempt has been m a d
to make them look like the real cock or the real tigci. Mm
you can at once tell Tt is a cock It is a tiger. The lonn
and the scolliug of paint make them attractive. 1 ike \
U.
toy horse they are being manufactured at Sagaing.

Hpowa youp
The doll of a chubby child, it is usually moulded in pulp
papet and painted. We often liken a chubby child to a

* A co llectio n o f these objects o f d u ih

hpowa youp.

M a tin g Sein M y in t o f M o n d a h iv .

use ;ue in possession 1

20. Hood containers, pots and boxes Iron, the m u r a l, o f A n a n d a brick monastery in Fagan. Early Konhbaung Period.
W4

M IS C E L L A N E O U S

721. Food containers, pots and boxes from the murals o f Taungthaman Kvauktawkyi Pagoda. Amarapura, A m atap m
Period.

> I (HhI c o n t a in e r s , p o ts a n d Ijoxes I r o n i

lioci.

the nuirals o f Taungtliaman Kyauktawkyi Pagoda, A m a ra p u ia , A m a i a p m a

727. Royal betel box rom Yatanapon days.

M IS C IL L A N H O U S

728. Copper swan box rom Yatanapon da\s.

shell (:on
tainer in the form tif a

731. Coconut

hintha.

732. Coconut shell con

tainer in the form of a
729. G old inlay container

bird.

733. Coconut shell con

tainer in the form of a
quail.

734. Wood-carved con

tainer in the form of a
frog.

Coins rom ihe Pyu era found ai Srikshelra.

200. M I S C E L L A N E O U S

736. Coin 'from (lie Pegu era.

738. Copper weight from Yatanapon days with the design

of a ton (lion-like) creature.

f.

73"7 Com of one kvai denomination from the Yatanapon

739. Smaller weight from Yatanapon days with the dc-

da\ s.

of a ton (lion like) creature.

740. Weight in hint ha shape.

744. Copper pipe in the form oi a human head tound at

Pakhokku.

741. Weight in the fo rm o f a bull.

745. Shweisawa
pipe with embossed human figure ,Ava Period.
M IS C E L L A N E O U S

laequerware

Yatanapon Period.

bowl

in

Albert

Museum,

746. Clay pipe found at Kaing village.

Kumc, early Konbhaung Period.

'4R. Copper pipes found in Pakhoku, A m arapur a Period.

749. Clay pipes from A m arapura Period.

751. Clay pipes from Am arapura Period.

''m i

i. I,i\ p i p e s

liom

\ marapma

Period.

7v

('la v pipes i i o m

A m aiapm a

and

Y a l a n a p < >n i V i i o d -

754.

W o o d e n b o x i n h e l o i m o f a k a r a v i k a d n d , 'i at a n ; u

Period.

755.
V ( lav

pipes h o n i

\ m aiapm a and

Ynlanapon

Periods.

('lay

Period.

pol

in ih e

ionn
'

ol-a

kaia\ika

bird,

Yaianapo

'

Ll

759. String manipulated puppet in u se.

757. Hpowa or' fat boy doll.

206' M I S C E L L A N E O U S

GLOSSARY
adieu

: undulating

i nc.

gyapkhom

: prim itive weaving

met hod.

hiin

, pion

bain/

: certain

lion h u m a n bei n g , ogrc, s pi nt

vakkha,

(Pal i

Sanskri t

yaksha).

hamsa :

Inntfhi
as

swan

(Pali).

: b r a l u n i n y d u c k , used

I r a n s l a l i o n To i

Pah

w oid

iuimsji.

hrihnu!

being

higher

than
de\ a .

chinilu/i :

bon.

hk'vin

light

for carrying

Irmawtan

builovl

cart

people.

: row

ol

small

llo

wci s.

chny:

kind

ni

l i on,

usualh
siyhscd.

chun\--.('
>

kind

of

knont ,

c r e e p e r h a n g i n g ,d o w n .

( ' l t i u m

kuut

oS

hntshpek h.sck : d e s i g n

loimed

b\ j o i n i n g t w o i d e n t i c a l p a i i v

hpowa

(youp)

doli

of

c h u b b y child.

k n o n t ,

I he l o w e i , *,)! len s\n o n > m o u s

as

(annyian :

round

c h u n w c .

iray

or

s a b ei u-.cd as a n e a l i n g ( a b l e .

(leva

: * g od , cicity.

hsckpan

repeated

tloial

design.

htumymatheim

: long-sleeved

Mghi j a c k e t .

htaunghsekpun

pron

roe (rom Fali

/okpan/

design

innia).

c o in e r.

ita lo n : m v l h i c a l b u t i o l u n
>
(!

m e n s e si/e, a

Kurnda

: galon.

: floral

daun
in

hiaunxhutpan
mai pan

/pron
vci ! ica!

ciamif lora!

eHyxkhs ek : foui o f the same

design j o in e d ai the c r u d e .

design

uiiaka : B u d d h is t bi rth-story ,
B u r m a u i s e d zataka o r zut.

kanom : curvilinear

floral
dcsivM).

okanul

kanaiha,

from

1 a l i

t h e B o d h k a l \a

1o
Ai

m eU evya. or A v a lo k ile s w a ra .

k a n o m ik : part o f the ka
n o ut ! low er.

A /i/'s /y s s s /

f u n v a k v a w ac/icit : silk fa bric

woven

w it h

over

a b u n d led

shut t les.

k ha/nit p a n : fl o ra l

d e sk n

gird lin g a p i ll a r o r a n y ro u n d
I hing,

m a k a n : B u r m a n i s e d lo r m ol
m ak ar a .
niakara : sea-monster, one half
fish and one h a l f m a m m a j .

k hmn ur u : a n im a l h u m a n fro m
head (o waist an d bird fr o m
waisl

down,

(he

f e m a le

of

munkviyyu' ckhfxit pron nia^y i vw c k h iHi l , : b a n d o f l e a v e 1'

l hat look like ta m ai iiu 1 lea\ e v

w h ic h is k i n n a r i .

k c n m a v a : B u r m a n i s e d fo r m
o f kinnara.

m a n a ss i h a : S p h i n x , a n i m a l
w it h

li o n 's

bodv

an^l

d e v a s head.

k s-vA/c : sa m e designs in a
row a- well as o n e a b o v e the

m a n o m i h i h a : B u r m n k cd
fo r m o f in a n us s n i .

o ilie r .

m o n k e y - h h i l u : k in d ol spirit
that fakes the f o r m o f a m o n
key.

k w e k h s e k : row

of

designs_

jo in ed !o each oi her.

naga : serpent, dragon without

lees.

k\vcklch\ck : series o f designs

linked iogether to fo rm a kourpiece p a tte rn .

k u e h i c k : designs place d at
in te rva ls .

nagaU'im :

tw iste d

s c ip c t u

design.

vaht/muk : design o i d o w n
\c a rd - fa c in g lotus petals.

A Yuhh.nt : design o f u p tu r n e d
ban ds ol lotus petals. .

kvaitni, kyining taik : Buddhist

na g u yo n : tem ple in ( he loi m

m o n a s t e ry .

ol a naga sheltering the B uddha

w it h its h o o d .

&

7 -,5$

nut

. s p u n , s u p e i n a i ui al bei ng,

l o w er i n i < m k

>n;r,ir

I lian

a dinnc

1!

t he dev a .

lor

ui/v

dei m e

: I l o i ai d e s i g n s

a panel.

nut.

the

See

/nuic/hm

hhilu.

h
i >11

uiutnti;

: row

of

hriek

a i nei i n c-. I o i m i n e a l o w w a l l ,

/nthso

nia.n- s

mein

sai o n e

w onianis

(hi

saione).

balustrade.

(M < /

hunilruxl shuttle ; S e e
lun vuk vuw uc/icit.

nun : I fcerallv

f l o w e r ' , a n y art
o r e r a 11.

huh in

: row

l u h ' n u i

ol

beads, san

as n i 'ilun.

puru/x/ik
lol.dme

pron

book

puruhuik

made

ol

hai

r-4

: d i a v iii!.1 a n d p a i n l i n i ? .
a e : le s t o o n s . de s ie n ol

f l o w ei s h a n g i n g d o w n h o r n a
roof.

puupe

blacksm ith,

>vu:thiiil

graduated

an m o u n i i n e

root;

him

-. ] >11

accnle.

rr i

black

s im I h s e i a I !

/)(/u/>u : s c u l p t u r e .

/n istuiui/Uuitnv

doll

i has

w i l l r e m a i n s t a n d i n g h o w < \e-

n,mutt :

hin

haul

\oi i t h r o w

srAor; // / : f l o w e r i n c i r c l e .

sunni/Hunn!,
i m e ai

anhmitnv

il a h o u l

I he I u r n e r s er a! t

: horn

do o r or back
. sione

sculpture.

like si i u .

t h e u p p e r c o i ne i

iclcired

t o as

ol

slab; somei line

flam e

i. <

l>untuw

: siucco scuipiure.

Sukra

manised
King

ihnncuu

: goldsm ith

and

his

craft.
. coppersm ith

and

of gods.

sup punchi

: the craft o f c o n

si m e t i n g a n d d e c o r a t i n g m a k e
shift

fx/niiv

Sukku) B u i
7hikyu, I n d i a o i

(Pali
as

pavillions or

tents.

lii.s

era f t .

puuvau :

-A

mason,

Hiu vun

masonry.

: lac q u er cral t .

sutuik
(in

i d I i ce) .

"B

chest

modern

for

scripture

Burmese,

po.st

\eifH<!U!ig
largci

: upturned

kyahlan

han

p etal s,
Sec"

o-ut

Vasundhara
earth

: g o d d e s s of ( h e

(Burmanised

H'a-

as

ihofidavci).

s'int amg.

shwasawa :

gold

leaf

l ac-

c |u er war e.

\ima

: ordination

hal!

Sphinx See Manussiha,

vakkha, yaksha

Vania h'khnvo
gei ,

k ind

of

!)hi!u.

See

: K a m a s I i n
dcndei

I l o i a!

design.

*3

snyaMt

per i l y ,

found

symbol

of

on

pos

Pyu

and

A r a k a n coi ns.
i 'amin

roup

: d o t ! d a n r e l ! v

girl.

lan/Jmntaimg / n o n : dagun
dam : sacred flagstaffjornia1
ii! nigoda.

vinsiv :
worn

c o v e r foi ( h e b i e a s f s,

in

bodice

the

was

when

fl i c

tmkin'w n io

d a vs

t he

H m m e s e ladies.

hf.n-o :

iclicf m o u ld e d

l*ac

q u e ! w ai e.

Yodava

: Burmese

l a n d oi

anything Ih a i.

f o i . f hai
Mom

A v u l hi v a .

duo'o pan, shwcu'ha :

Mo r a l d e s i g n s o n thavo

gilded

duirmh hwei

design

floral

work.

vwet an
zat

pulenm

trout) '

q . \..

Btnmcse

t hea-

on! \

1ri cal p e r f o r m e r 1- e n t e r t a i n i n g

( h e si a. l ks c u r v i n u ( l i t . c u r v i n g .

I he a u d i e n c e t he w h o l e ni gl u

unhoul

p e a i s o r leaves

o r c h i t i s ).

iiienn

w i t h a \at ict\ o f d a n c e s a n d
p l a y s (at l eas! t w o p!a\ >. one'

: B urm anised

form

of

Sima, (j.\..

ndatm.n

: peacock (B m m e se ).

o f w h i c h is b a s e d o n a j a t a k a .
h e n c e the n a m e

za)vgyi :
periceted

z,ai\.

alchemist
his

who

h as

philo sophci \

s t o n e a n d so possesses m a g i c a l
powers.

* .*

idisaufqnm : d e s i g n

found on

ci ther side o f back-sl ab, t h r o n e ,

s a c r e d I l a g s ! a l l , etc.

zavap

: open

rest-house.

A NOTE ON
ROMANIZATION
i he Romani/at ion of Burmese names employed in this
hook is a modified variety of the old Hunterian system.
Whereas the old method entirely ignores the Burmese
orthography, whieh often causes difficulties in tracing
hack the original Burmese form it has been transcribed
fiom. the new code tries to bring the transliterations as
. lose io the form they lake in Burmese script as possible.
I lie original \owels as well as the final consonants have
been letained. I h u s , purupaik is preferred to parabaik,
ia k au n g to Ta^aung, kulhoUaw to kutliodaw, kunout
fek to Kanot lei. Hicim to Thein (lor Sima). Yinsiy to
\insec, Zayap to Za\al, and so on.
1 *

HISTORICAL SITES
(OLD CAPITALS)
IN BURMA
A r ii k a n (R a kluiinj)
Dhannavati

s I 8 B .( . to 370 A . 1).
C/O A .l) . to 600 A. I).
600 A .l). lo 720 A .l).
1131 A .l) . lo 17?^ A .l).

' Myohaung (Mrauk u)

Tuknung
101 h ,(e m

Ia kaung

y A .l) . (bill (

cnt ur\

B.( . ? i

( c, ntu ry

A .l) .
A .l) .
y A .i).

Pyu
Beitihano
1lanlin

Srikshetra
M on
1lant hawat i

1st ( e n l t i i y A .l).
3rd C e n t u r y A .l) .
3rd ( ' e m m \ A .l) .
V

lo

5th

to 9th
to

10th

( enturv
Cent m

82S l o I 12^ A . l ) .
1349 to

1 5 9 l) A

1).

B urm ese
Pagan

1040 to

12 8 7

Pinya

1298 l o

1 Uvl

Sagaing

13 1 5 t o

1364

A .,1).

Ava

1364 lo

1ss S

1629 to

1 752 A

1o u n g o o

,A 1).
1).

i).
I)

\1 )

17 6 5

lo

! 7S ^

1823

to

183 7 A

1)

l.c/3

1)

1486 to

Shweibo

1758 l o

17 6 5

1).

Am arapura

1783

1823

1).

1837

to

i<
Ss'/ A

1).

M andalay

1857

to

1885

I).

to

CHRONOLOGY
l'aung lh am an

about 1000 B.C. oi mote

Pyu era
Beitihano

about ls! to 51 h ( 'em m >

1l.uilm

\D
.buiii ii d to )i h t. cm in \

Parly Konbhaung Period

M id - kon bh au ng /A m arap u ra

A.l)
about ^id to 10th (
A. l) .
about 1000 to' 1300
about 1400 to 1600
about 1500 to 1800
about 1600,to 1700
about 1700 to 1800
about 1800 to I860

Ya 1a n a p o n /M a n d a la y Period
I ate Y ata na po n/M a nda lay

about 1S6(* to 1885 A . i ) .

about 18N5 to 1920 A.l).

Srikshel ra
Pagan Period
Hanthawati/Pegu
M yohaung (Mrauk-u)
Ava Period (Second Ava)

cut Ul \
A. l) .
A . l)
A .i).
A. i ) .
A. l ) .
A .l)

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

\n b a e o l o g y

Departm ent

Pagatr

Yekthattapat

(Pagan

week), R ang oon : I *-><>1

A u n v Kyaing, M i n p u . Paga K h it Bithuka

Lekya mya
Architectural works oi Vagan period), R a n g o o n :

Sepeibim an press, 1985.

A u b h a t h a b h iw u n t h a , A sh in. Thuteithena 7 hayouppya
A h hidhen (Dictionary ot Research Illustrated),
Ba

R ang oon : T h u d h a m m a w a t i , 1975.

Kyi, U , a n d A s h in Zanaka'U hiw untha.

Y opuson

B ouddhaw in (Pictorial Lite ot the the Buddha),

M a nila , 195 3.
Ba Shin, B o h m u . Pagan lltnihsasu Thuteithana Lou pagan

(Research work on collections o f ink inscriptions

of Pagan), R an g o o n : University Press, 1967.
Ba I ha, U , Art Inspector (retired). M yanm a Kanonit Pan,
3 vols., R an g o o n : Sapeibim an, 1960.
Bokav, U. Pagan Thuteithana L annhyun (Research guide

to Pagan), Rangoon : Sapeibiman Press, 1981.

Cultural Department. Sheiyo M yanm a Panchi (Traditional
Buemese Painting),- R a ng oon : 1955.
Dipa, Sayataw u. Kyaungtawya lln in t Shweisektaw
T liam aing (History of Kyaungtawya and Shweisek
taw), R a n g o o n : H a n t h a u a t i , 1964.
Editorial Stall, Bahosiv. Bahosiv Yapyiy Youpson (Bahosiv
L'enteriarv number), M a nda lay : Bahosiy, 1960.
lIistor\ Department. I'agan Seticuhtomya (Temples <>/
P.tir,an), R ang oon University Press, 1987.
Mia
l h a m c i n . M yanm a i\aingngatitakhw in I Ipaya
Phamaing Paungchoup (History of Pagodas all over
Burma)} R ang oon : M a h aw e b z a Press, 1968.
I (tun I fmat W in , U Sap. Thuteithana Pyusuni Amvtmiyo
(low to i/o research work), R a n g o o n : Yaw gi Press,
P>68.
H tu n Shein, N a tm au k , Mantalei Yinkycihm u'anupyinnva
(Culture aiiil Art of Mahilalay), R a ng oon : PyinnIltim

vahim an, 1979.

\i, U. \anthon \in Parihhawi:,:i lln in t H utsahs m\inhtvu

( \chicles, f urniture and Costumes ot

Royalty), R a ng oon : S ein p an m ying , 1984.
f\hinkvi-hpvau , Iaungtw inkvi Sayataw. l\alayani Kyauksa
Mvamapvan (Translation <>/ Kalvani Inscripf.i(in),
Ministrv ol Religious Allairs, 10/7.
I\v;iu W in , M a n o u lth a . .-\chcikhan Sheikhaung/^l hutei-

thana

P hsinna

(fundam entals

Rangoon : Sapeibim an, 1977.

Mating M u a n g S(.in, U. Article in
P.nletha magazine, I960.

(if A rchac()log\),
Tekkatl 10/ Pvitmva

Mva, I hiripvanchi U. Apeyataiia lllain ggu Ilpava (Apeyatana cave temp>le), C u ltu ra l Department, 1974.
M v int A ung, U. i r Kala (oihpaya Shi Sheihaung I ek -

yamva (Ancient works ot Art at I ' K u la \ c.n <

temple), G o v e rn m e n t Press, 1971.
M yo M y in t Sein,. tyj, a n d Others. K onhhaung h in t
lln a u n g H yonkyi Kvaungmya (monasteries of late
K onhhaung period), R ang oon : Central Press, lo ro .
N a tio n a l Cu ltu re Association. Am votha Yinkvcihm'u
Sasaung, articles. Rangoon, 1962.
N yo Mya. K onhhaung K kit Shapontaw (Search for
K on h hau n g Era), R an g o o n : T h a tin Gyane Press.
1982.
Sfuveikaingtha. H sinyin Htonhpw ehm u (Dress Styles),
M a n d a lay : Eyipvvayei [)ress, 1951.
l a i k Soe. Bouddhahhatha A nupyinnva \idan (Introiluc
tion to Buddhist- Arts), R an g o o n : C h in tw in Press,
1976.
T h il a n a n d a b h iu u n 'h a , .Ashin. M yanm a Bithuka Pvinn-

yashin Says Hsaing (Burmese Architect Say a Hsaitu:).

R a n g o o n : Mya Zaw Press, 1971.
1 rustees ol I heim tawkyi. Kalyani l eim, M in gala I'haung
{ Press, 1956.
.

Various authors. Pagan, R ang oon , 1965.

Zayyathinkhaya. Shw eibhon iS'idan (Introduction to the'

irolden abode),-Rangoon : H a n t h a u a t i Press, 196 5.

. THE AUTHOR

r .

.\vv

, u

h i *

s i i n i j

,>

i n

A\m

. ;

>j,

/m

ji-

Maung A v e Mying was b o m in mandalay on 2 1 h i u a .

]9^() o! paicuis U K \auk .and D a w San. H e studied e o n .
merciai an for three years with U Kywe Lay o f IVJandala\ .
1h e n

he

took up

e o i respi u i d e n e e
an

an

school

f i n e arts with i; K h i n Maung. l ie a i s o

courses I roni U I l i a o f Pyinmana and

in Washington, !).(

tooif i om

U SA.

1 Maung Aye Myint become interested in traditional

Burmese art m 1958 and often did research work touring
the e o u m i) . l or 23 years he worked at the Saundei's
Weaving school, A m arapura,

as design instructor.

He

travelled io Italy, England and Japan to c an y out decora

lion work m the Burmese exhibitions in those countries.
1lie author drew designs for lacquerwares, postage
stamps, calenders, catalogues and books: He is also res
ponsible for a large number of designs lor Buddhist pagodas,

simu (ord i nat ion halls), monasteries, shrines, monuments,

clock towers and such like. Most of the covers of Buddhisi
and Burmese cultural magazines are the works o f Maim.!.;
Ave Mv im. He 1ft es with his family at 92-94 (Top flcSoi)
Pansolan, Rangoon.

- I *

1 111: A U T H O R

" - t n i . t n . t n u

U AYE M Y IN T