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| Taulihawa
and Bhairahawa, west of Kathmandu, are dotted with
terra cotta excavations. The ruins found in Tiraulakot
are said to be what is left of the ancient kingdom
of Shakya Prince Siddhartha Gautam who, enlightened,
became the Buddha. Some of the terra cottas retrieved
from the excavation and now on display at the National
Museum, Swayambhu, were a woman's head, a fragment
of a larger block, second to first century BC, a
bust of a woman heavily ornamented on head and ears,
second to first century BC and a damaged terra cotta
of ram, second to first century BC. There and in
the rest of Nepal, simple farmers used the fertile
soil of their fields keep the craft of terra cotta
alive and in daily use in Nepal. Starting thousands
of years ago and for hundreds of years, they kept
Kathmandu Valley among the most prosperous places
in this part of the world for terra cotta work producing
clay pots, basins and water containers that were
day to day in many households and are still today.
Temples, houses and alleys display the mastery of
the Newari community in terra cotta art. From the
Mahaboudha Temple built four hundred years ago to
the second century worship site of Pashupati, terra
cotta art is widely prevalent in this country. Besides
the Newars, the Tharus and other communities also
continue a tradition that is finding greater commercial
success for restoration work which requires traditional
bricks. In this section you will find terra cotta's
historical past, its present status, photo essays
on sites around Kathmandu Valley, an artisan's lifestyle,
the process of making terra cotta figures, and a
fine collectibles section. |
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COLLECTIBLES