COLLECTION NAME:
Undergraduate Thesis Collection
Record
Title:
Materializing the Sacred in Nepal: Ritual Ornamentation in Newar Buddhist Art
Creator:
Crabtree, Victoria Elizabeth
Subject:
Thesis (B.F.A.) -- Art History
Subject:
Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Art History
Rights:
Copyright is retained by the authors or artists of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Abstract:
“In Buddhist religious practices, sculptures transcend their physical form and become spiritually activated images that embody divine presence through consecration rituals. Once consecrated, these images participate in the religious community as enlivened images which are cared for, washed, dressed, and layered with offerings. This thesis explores the significance of ritual adornment in the Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, examining how the Newar Buddhist community utilizes adornment to transform sculptures into activated vessels for the sacred. Through a Mahāyāna Buddhist framework, this thesis considers the role of dress and ornament in mediating divine presence, emphasizing how layers of ritual ornament create a visual palimpsest that mediates relationships between devotees and the sacred. Focusing on the central Buddha shrine at the Kwa Baha, one of the largest Newar Buddhist monastic communities in the Kathmandu Valley, this study employs art historical visual analysis alongside anthropological perspectives to investigate the ritual function of ornamentation and the accumulation of spiritual power through ritual giving. Exploring this complex material culture, this research highlights the intimate relationships between practitioners and deities in Himalayan Buddhism. This thesis discusses the foundational concept of image activation in Buddhist traditions; the specific ritual practices of image veneration in Himalayan and Newar contexts; and a close analysis of the ritually adorned central image at Kwa Baha as an embodiment of these devotional and theological dynamics.” –Abstract
Keywords: activated images, Buddhism, Buddhist art, Himalayan Buddhism, material culture, Nepal, Newar Buddhism, ornamentation, ritual adornment.
Keywords: activated images, Buddhism, Buddhist art, Himalayan Buddhism, material culture, Nepal, Newar Buddhism, ornamentation, ritual adornment.
Publisher:
Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design
Date:
2025-05
Format:
1 online resource: 1 PDF (Thesis, 55 pages, color illustrations)