Using Chinese sources, a story is made current
that it was Pyu who started the making of glazed work in about AD
800. They traded glazed ware and earthen jars with neighbouring
people. Excavations at Maing Maw, Vishnu Old Town, Sriksetra and
Hanlin produced nothing like ceramic. As the archaeological
excavations in these Pyu sites are still in the beginning, we might
have the good fortune to get some evidence supporting the fact that
Pyu did have ceramic of some good quality.
From about the 5th century AD until 8th century AD Pyu built a
Kingdom that should be called the First Union of Myanmar from the
upper Shweli river in the north to Moattama (Martaban) in the south
and from the west of Thanlwin river in the east to the U Yu river
and Htilin in the Yaw area at the foot of the Rakhine Ranges in the
west. This kingdom was guarded by nine garrison towns of
Glazed Plaques from Mingalarzedi
In comparison with the designs used in terracotta
Jataka plaques made by artists employed by Aniruddha, the designs of
glazed work made by artists of Kyanzittha and other kings right down
to the fall of the empire, are inferior. He took an extraordinary
bold step of glazing sand stone. It is the most amazing thing to
glaze jataka plaques and floor-tiles made of sand. This glazing of
sand stone was quite an achievement. It was an amazing achievement
for the ceramists of Bagan to succeed in glazing sandstone.
The Ananda Temple was built by Kyanzittha about A.D 1105. All
terraces from top to bottom were once brilliantly inlaid with 1464
green glazed plaques. The parapets above the corridors and halls are
decorated with 537 Jatakas, each identified by Pali name and number.
It is the most completed series of Jataka plaques in Bagan. Above
them, plaques of the top four terraces present 375 scenes, each with
an Old Mon gloss, to explain the last ten Jatakas.
Plaques of the ground-plinth, 553 in all, each with an Old Mon
gloss, shown on the west side, the various monsters of Mara's army,
who vainly attacked The Buddha on the eve of The Enlightenment. On
the east side, the Gods celebrate the Buddha's triumph, a procession
of Devas and other mighty beings swelling his pomp, holding
auspicious emblems.Each plaque square of 14x4 inches with 3 inches
thickness, have never been edited.
In the scene of Mara's attack, his soldiers came riding on
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Bear
-
Buffalo
-
Camel
-
Capricorn (Makara)
-
Cattle
-
Elephant
-
Hare
-
Hog- deer
-
Horse
-
Jackal
-
Leogryph (Vyala)
-
Lion
-
Naga (Serpent)
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Pig
-
Ram
-
Tiger
-
Vulture
The heavenly and other mighty beings who
celebrate the Buddha's triumph include:
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Asurinda
-
Brumha
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Dataratha (E-Guardian God)
-
Deva
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Devi
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Indra
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Kinlok(Mon Clan Spirit)
-
Kumbhanda
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Kuvera (N Guardian God)
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Naga
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Paharada
-
Sucitti
-
Suparna
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Vepacitti
-
Viluraka (S Guardian God)
-
Virupakkha (W Guardian God)
-
Yama
-
Yakkha Senapati
As in Nagayon, Sulamani, Mingalarzedi, Dhammayazika, Tayokepyay
and Htilominlo temples, have several dozens of glazed stone squares
used on the floor. Mostly they are in three sizes. The first to be
18"square, the second 15" square and the third as 7½" square.
Glazed Plaques from Dhammayazika Pagoda
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