1892.41.481

Tile with two green glazed relief figures with human bodies and mouse-like heads. [DCF Court Team 25/2/2003]

Place details: SE ASIA. Myanmar (Burma) / Shwegugyi Pagoda Bago (Pegu). Local Name: Unknown. Materials: Pottery / Pigment / ?. Processes: Glazed / ?. Weight: 14800 g (14.8 kg) Dimensions: Max L = 440 mm Max W = 310 mm Max H = 105 mm Field Collector: Richard Carnac Temple When Collected: By 1892 Other Owners: Richard Carnac Temple PRM Source: Richard Carnac Temple Acquired: Donated September 1892

KEYWORD: Building Part / Figure / CLASS: Religion / Dwelling / Figure / Pottery / ?.

Publications history, trails & websites: Reproduced in colour on page 241 of the exhibition catalogue 'Myanmar the Golden Land' with the catalogue number 155 with the entry 'Demons attack. The tile comes from the wall of the main temple of the Shwegugyi complex. Tile, glazed. H: 41, 5 cm. Bago 1479. Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford. Inv.-Nr. 1892.41.481. Photo: Malcolm Osman'. Published to accompany the exhibition of the same name held at Linden Museum, Stuttgart, Germany, 18th October 2014 - 17th May 2015. [FB 14/11/2014]

Notes on Antiquities in Ramamadesa" by Sir Richard Camac Temple (in Indian Antiquary, 1893 Dec. Vol XII). [FB 18/06/2014]

Research notes: 'Probably remains of procession paths of old pagoda'. Examined by Mrs Jane T Bailey, Curator, Burmese Art, Denison University, Grenville, Ohio. ?Obtained in Jackson's garden.

This object was studied by Georg Noack, Senior Curator, Linden-Museum Stuttgart, on 19 July 2013. He states this pottery plaque came from the Shwegugyi Temple. The temple was built in 1473 by King Dhammazedi. The temple was built as a replica to the temple in India where Buddha attained enlightenment. The creatures in this plaque are trying to attack the Buddha whilst he is meditating. The temple complex had seven stations around it with paths leading to the centre. [MJD 19/07/2013]

There is a similar tile in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum Number IS.2-196. The tile is on display at the V&A in

South-East Asia, room 47a, case 15 with the caption: 'With its demonic owl-headed warriors bearing swords, this tile is similar to the series decorating the temple complex of Shwegugyi, built in 1476 by King Dhammaceti of Pegu. A favourite theme of the tiles at Shwegugyi is the demonic warriors of Mara's army, who were sent to disrupt the Buddha meditation just prior to his enlightenment. Glazed stoneware Burma (Pegu) Possibly from the Shwegugyi temple. Given by Cyril Newman', see http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O83565/plaque-unknown/ [FB 18/06/2014]

Cyril Newman donated a tile of similar type to the BM in 1965. See http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=247005&partId=1&searchText=Shwegugyi&page=1. [FB 18/06/2014]

The BM has seven tiles possibly from the Shwegugyi temple. See BM accession numbers 1965,1217.1 also donated by Cyril Newman and 1969,0418.1 - 1969,0418.6 [FB 18/06/2014]

Two tiles are also in the collections of the Ashmolean Museum, accession number EA1965.256 http://www.jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/object/EA1965.256 and EA1966.225 http://www.jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/object/EA1966.225 [FB 18/06/2014]