buried images

[Anna A. Slaczka]

Dear Frederic,

I came across this thread only now, so perhaps this information will not be new for you. But, anyway: for some information about burying of images of the lokapalas (the Guardians of the Directions) in the stupas and Buddhist temples of Sri Lanka, see A.A. Slaczka: Temple Consecration Rituals in Ancient India, Leiden: Brill, 2007.
For the issue of human sacrifice (in South Asia; as I see that the thread developed in this direction), you may have a look at: J.E.M. Houben and K.R. van Kooij (ed.): Violence denied: violence, non-violence and the rationalization of violence in South Asian cultural history, Leiden: Brill, 1999.

Best regards,
Anna Slaczka.




--- On Sun, 4/20/08, Smith, Frederick M <frederick-smith at UIOWA.EDU> wrote:

> From: Smith, Frederick M <frederick-smith at UIOWA.EDU>
> Subject: buried images
> To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
> Date: Sunday, April 20, 2008, 6:31 PM
> Does anyone know if there is a history of burying statues or
> any other sorts of images in the ground for apotropaic or
> prophylactic purposes. I came across references to burying
> images of Demeter and other goddesses in the Greek (and
> Roman) world, and wonder if there is any such parallel
> phenomenon in India or Southeast Asia. It seems to me that
> I have read about this somewhere, but can't recall
> where.
> 
> regards,
> Fred Smith
> Univ. of Iowa


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