Dharma Records

A record of Ānandajoti’s publication work.

Menu
  • Notices
  • Talks
  • Texts
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Photos
  • Ecology
  • Culture
  • Archives
  • About
Menu

Decorative Mosaics in the Temples and Pagodas in Myanmar

Posted on January 23, 2011April 13, 2017 by Ānandajoti

One of the most interesting of the many art forms I came across in Myanmar was the mosaic work, which is often a mixture of small mirrors and stained glass or coloured stones that adorn the temples and pagodas throughout the country. The artform is mainly decorative and abstract, and only rarely is there any attempt at figurative work.

In the 29 photographs in this collection, and the 22 in the album on the Decorative Mosaics in the Temples and Pagodas, only three were figurative.

The work is often geometric is form, consisting of repeating patterns, which may be circular, triangular or rectangular in form, and is intricately woven into the walls, pillars and ceilings of the buildings, especially around the image houses; and is also found on the pedestals of Buddha statues and the like. It ranges in colour from the subdued to the pastel, but even very bright and startling work is found.

Included in the collection here are one or two other works which are decorative, but not mosaic in composition.

Floral, Shwedagon, Yangon
Floral, Shwedagon, Yangon

 

Ceiling, Shwedagon, Yangon
Ceiling, Shwedagon, Yangon

 

Ceiling, Shwedagon, Yangon
Ceiling, Shwedagon, Yangon

 

Celing, Sandamuni, Mandalay
Celing, Sandamuni, Mandalay

 

Pedestal, Shwedagon, Yangon
Pedestal, Shwedagon, Yangon

 

Pedestal, Kyaik-khauk, Thanlyin
Pedestal, Kyaik-khauk, Thanlyin

 

1 thought on “Decorative Mosaics in the Temples and Pagodas in Myanmar”

  1. Vera Stewart says:
    May 16, 2018 at 5:20 pm

    Great information. I will check out the rest of your blog. Thanks for this post. I really like your point of view.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

QR code

SHORTLINK

Donations

there are many expenses involved in the making of this website. Even a small donation really helps to maintain and expand the site.

Recent Posts

  • New Book: The Reliefs of Buddhavanam
  • Photographs from Phanigiri Hilltop Monastery
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 2
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 1
  • My Big Fail: Kanaganahalli
  • Sites Around Visakhapatnam
  • Photographs from Bojjannakonda (Sankaram)
  • Photographs from Cave and Stūpa Sites in Andhra Pradesh
  • Photographs from Amarāvatī and Nāgārjunakoṇḍa
  • Photos of Dr Ambedkar Statues and His Life Story

Top Ten Tags

Buddha

Dhamma

Sangha

India

China

Indonesia

Thailand

Temples

Wisdom

Ethics

Sponsorship

 hosting sponsored by exabytes.my 

Random Posts

  • New Book: Buddhist Wisdom Verses
  • Pan and Zoom style Slidehows on the Photo Dharma website
  • 135 hours of Recordings on Ancient Buddhist Texts
  • Photographs from Wat Sri Suphan in Chiang Mai
  • Bhante Anandajoti: The Perfection of Generosity
  • The Enumeration and Explanation of the Conditions
  • Syntax of the Cases in the Pali Nikayas Published
  • Publication of Ven. Rerukane Candavimala’s Autobiography
  • Vibrations of India
  • Emptiness in the Visuddhimagga

Recent Posts

  • New Book: The Reliefs of Buddhavanam
  • Photographs from Phanigiri Hilltop Monastery
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 2
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 1
  • My Big Fail: Kanaganahalli
  • Sites Around Visakhapatnam
  • Photographs from Bojjannakonda (Sankaram)
  • Photographs from Cave and Stūpa Sites in Andhra Pradesh
  • Photographs from Amarāvatī and Nāgārjunakoṇḍa
  • Photos of Dr Ambedkar Statues and His Life Story

Related Posts:

  • Digital Mosaics made using Foto-Mosaic-Edda
  • Sandamuni Pagoda, Mandalay
  • Sutaungpyai Pagoda, Mandalay
  • Buddhas and Murals at the Po Win Caves – 2
  • Idyllic Taungthaman Lake
  • Mural Paintings at Kyauktawgyi Pagoda
  • New Album: Modern Murals at Wat Pangla
  • Mahamuni Pagoda, Mandalay
  • Rāma’s Story on the Prambanan Reliefs Published
  • Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay
© 2025 Dharma Records | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme