Casting the Buddha across Southern Asia

Abstract

The production of copper alloy devotional images of the Buddha probably began in northern India sometime in the late second century CE but certainly by the third century. From there the transmission of copper alloy Buddha sculpture technology traveled across Asia, beginning with the earliest known images from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Hindu Kush regions then moving across northern India. It continued north into western China, across China, and into Korea and Japan. As the religion spread, the need for sculptures also traveled a southern route, from India into Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Early representations of the Buddha were interpreted differently from region to region, with a range of views about how to use and understand the imagery. Transmission of technique came along with the transmission of style. However, where materials were not available, an evolution of alternative materials and methods developed. These different technologies affected style, producing images of varied appearances. This paper focuses on early casting developments along the southern route from the fourth through the ninth centuries CE.