Thoughts Etched in Jade

Delezen, John Edmund

White Lotus Press

This book gives voice to the last protagonists of an almost vanished world. For the first time, former Naga headhunters and families talk extensively about their past, their fears and their hopes. Based on fieldwork and in-depth interviews conducted in Myanmar and on the Indian states of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, this book gives a unique insight into the world of the Naga tribes and illustrates one of the last living examples of traditional culture. The mountain ranges situated between the far north-eastern part of India and the extreme northeast of Myanmar (Burma) house an incredible people of Tibeto-Burman origin, the Nagas. The number of tribes comprising the Nagas may vary among different scholars, but they are believed to include between 12 and 30 groups, with the major ones being the Angami, Ao, Lotha, Chakhesang, Konyak, Rengma, Sangtam, Yimchungru, Zeliangrong, Nocte, Phom, Khiamniungan, Pochuri,Tangkhul and Sema. These groups inhabit both sides of the Indo-Burmese borders in the Naga Hills, a sub-Himalayan region characterized by thick jungles and rugged mountains, known as 'the last mystery of Asia'. Until the middle of the 20,h century the men of these tribes were recognized as frightening headhunters, but despite their reputation, the Nagas were and are primarily farmers. Thus, it is not surprising that 'fertility' was seen as a 'power' that should be continually increased, secured and channeled towards the community. How deeply has this belief and the quest for fertility marked the culture of these tribes? To answer this question, the authors explore some flagship themes of the social sciences: the mechanisms of wealth distribution, how taboos influence society, what role institutions play, and how a culture can adapt to deep transformations.

The Nagas: Memories of Headhunters, Indo-Burmese Borderland. Volume 1: History, Identity, Architecture and Sculpture

Politics & Social Sciences

Drouyer, Isabel Azevedo & Rene

Social Sciences

Tibetan Medical Thangka of the Four Medical Tantras - Bod Lugs gSo-rig rGyud-bzhi'i Nang Don Bris Tsha Ngo mTsar mThon Ba Don lTan.

Cai Jingfeng

Contents: I. Introduction. II. Symbolic analysis of religious architecture. III. Indianization in Southeast Asia: lineage one: 1. Religious foundations. 2. Architecture. 3. Java. 4. Cambodia. 5. Champa. IV. Burma : lineage two: 1. Thai Era. 2. The lineages of stupa forms. V. The philosophical Indianization of Northeast Asia : the third lineage: 1. China. 2. Korea. 3. Japan. 4. Tibet. 5. Mongolia. 6. The Tibetan stupa. Bibliography."This work seeks to explore the development of East Asian architecture based upon its borrowings from the Indian stupa. While most scholars agree that some features of East Asian religious architecture have been strongly influenced by the symbolic architecture of the stupa, this study specifically seeks to identify three distinct architectural "lineages" originating from India to East Asia. These lineages were inspired by the work of Liang Ssu-Ch'eng who first identified several "families" of pagoda structures in Mainland China in the early part of the 20 century. However, here we extend our search to all the nations that have employed the stupa architecture outside India (and Nepal). These other lineages have been identified through careful analysis in archaeological, anthropological, historical, and religious studies."The first of these lineages extends through Indo-China and Indonesia. The second lineage is mainly found extending through Burma. Both lineages, one and two, meet together in later Thai architecture. The third lineage extends across Central Asia to the shores and nations of Far East Asia, such as Japan, Korea and China. As all the lineages are demonstrated to be imbued and propagated by the scared and ancient symbolism of India, each chapter examines the history of Indian thought as it was introduced into a region and then discusses the features of the most well known structures of that region." (jacket)

Evolution of Indian Stupa Architecture in East Asia by Eric Stratton

Eric Stratton

Chinese Porcelain The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection (2 Volume Set). Fully illustrated in color.

Chinese Porcelain The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection (2 Volume Set)

Unknown, Author

This volume is an definitive catalog of an outstanding exhibition of Chinese metal art from the Mengdiexuan Collection, comprising of 113 objects dating from Shang to Ming; many have never before been published. Lavishly illustrated, the book contains scholarly essays examining the history, imagery, techniques and materials of Chinese personal adornment. Most of the items come from the Mengdiexuan Collection owned by Betty Lo and Kenneth Chu. Mengdiexuan Collection Adornment for Eternity Status &amp; Rank in Chinese Ornament. Adornment for Eternity Status and Rank in Chinese Ornament by Julia M. White Emma C. Bunker with contributions by Chen Peifen Trade PB. 4to. Denver Art Museum with The Woods Publishing Company. 1984. 214 pgs. Illustrated with Color / Black and White Plates. First Edition/First Printing.

Adornment for Eternity: Status and Rank in Chinese Ornament

White, Julia M. and Emma C. Bunker

Myanmar Buddha: The Image And Its History

Lopetcharat, Somkiart

The Mergui Archipelago Project made five expeditions between 1998 and 2001. They resulted in the rediscovery of one of the most beautiful places on earth which had been isolated for many years. A cooperative scientific project had been set up to promote the local heritage, nomad culture and the Burmese historical and cultural inheritance. The reader will discover ancient rock paintings, the archaeological land marks of the Indian world on its way to Southeast Asia, the colorful history of the region since the first arrival of the Westerners; he will also share the Moken nomads way of life.

A Journey Through the Mergui Archipelago

Travel

Ivanoff, Jacques and Thierry Lejard

Asia

Presents the first comprehensive overview of oral literature of the Akha ethnic group of Southeast Asia in English translation. Included in this overview are stories and legends, the epic story of two brothers, the epic poem of creation, proverbs and an Akha lullaby. The Akha people, who live in China, Burma, Laos and Thailand, have a unique oral literature which has been handed down through time. The author started reducing the Akha oral literature to a written system in the 1950s and invested fifty years of research in recording the Akha oral tradition. This book presents an English translation of samples from this literature testifying to a rich storehouse of wisdom, fun and humor accumulated over the centuries by this unique ethnic group.

Akha Oral Literature

Literature & Fiction

Lewis, Paul W.

BAI Bibo

Mythology & Folk Tales

The first comprehensive book of its kind in English, focused exclusively on pottery; its technology, production and artistic development in Thailand in prehistory. Over twenty-five hundred years of pottery making spanning the periods from about 2200 B.C. to 400 A.D. are examined; uncovering a rich repertoire of pottery working techniques, forms and decorative schemes. The book examines pottery production in the Northeast, Central and Southeast Seaboard regions of Thailand, noting differences and similarities in production by site, region and chronology. This work also explores the topic of modern fakes and forgeries of prehistoric pottery, a common problem faced by museums with unprovenanced collections, which underscores the persistent need for continued scientific archaeology. Other topics include the use of electron micro probe to determine the constituent mineral composition of clay fabrics. Lavishly illustrated with over two hundred and fifty color plates, maps and charts, the book is designed to appeal to a broad readership, interested in art, culture and prehistory. This volume greatly expands, but does not repeat, the author's previous work Ban Chiang: The Art and Prehistory of Northeast Thailand.

Prehistoric Thai Ceramics: Ban Chiang in Regional Cultural Perspective

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Armand J. Labbé

Crafts & Hobbies

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