Videos by Osmund Bopearachchi
This talk, based on new Gandhāran reliefs, discusses the symbolism of the iconography of Utpalava... more This talk, based on new Gandhāran reliefs, discusses the symbolism of the iconography of Utpalavarṇā, a bhikṣuṇī (Buddhist nun) who came to greet the Buddha Gautama descending from the Trāyastriṃśa (Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods) to Sāṃkāśya, having preached the abhidhamma to his mother and other gods. Speaking Archaeologically, August 14, 2021. 55 views
The Gandhāran Budhist art flourished under the auspicious political domination of the Kuṣāṇ Empir... more The Gandhāran Budhist art flourished under the auspicious political domination of the Kuṣāṇ Empire in a vast region which was once the cradle of diverse political supremacies and civilisations, such as those of the Achaemenids, the Greeks, the Scythians and the Parthians. The presence of Western powers in the fertile lands of Gandhāra and Greater Gandhāra for many generations gave birth to an innovative art characterized by naturalism and narrative power. The specificity of Gandhāran art is also its ability to narrate an Indian story, namely the life story of the Guatama Buddha, his previous lives and peripheral stories using both Western and Indian artistic motifs. The presence of Greeks in the area since the conquest of Alexander the Great is an important historical fact. This talk highlights how, thanks to these cross-cultural interactions, a new complex art with an iconographic program illustrated by its singularity was born in Gandhāra. 310 views
It is at the beginning of the 18th century, at the height of the Kandyan period, during the reign... more It is at the beginning of the 18th century, at the height of the Kandyan period, during the reign of Narendrasimha that a new era of pictorial art began. King Kirti sri Rajasimha (1751-1781) was the instigator and mastermind of this artistic renaissance in the kingdom of Kandy. Thus was born a Kandyan style with its characteristics, its conventions, its themes and its technique. Sri Lankan artists of the Kandyan period followed the Pāli tradition, very particularly the narrations in the Nidānakathā when depicting the life story of the Buddha Gautama. For this reason, the artistic program of the Kandyan period is characterized by its uniqueness in the choice of events related to the life of Buddha compared to other Indian art schools mainly, Gandhāra and Mathurā strongly inspired by the Sanskrit tradition. For example, in all Kandyan period paintings it is this Pāli tradition which is faithfully respected when depicting the great departure, the assault of Māra and above all the seven we 177 views
Papers by Osmund Bopearachchi
CRAI, 2023
Les événements importants liés à la vie du Bouddha Gautama ne sont pas représentés de manière coh... more Les événements importants liés à la vie du Bouddha Gautama ne sont pas représentés de manière cohérente dans les écoles d’art anciennes d’Asie du Sud et du Sud-Est, et ces différences sont dues à la confusion et à l’irrégularité de la manière dont les événements sont racontés dans les textes sacrés. Parmi les nombreux épisodes de ce type, la naissance du Prince Siddhārtha, autrement dit le futur Bouddha, suscite la controverse dans les textes et par conséquent dans les représentations artistiques.
Bulletin de la Société nationale des Antiquaires de France, 2019
Inspirations grecques dans l'art bouddhique du Gandhara Osmund BoPearachchi, a.c.n. Nous entendon... more Inspirations grecques dans l'art bouddhique du Gandhara Osmund BoPearachchi, a.c.n. Nous entendons par l'art du Gandhara une forme d'art figuratif née dans cette région située au nord-ouest du Pakistan actuel, entre le ii e et le iV e siècle ap. J.-C., qui prospère sous l'empire Kouchan et reflète des éléments syncrétiques interculturels 1. En ce qui concerne d'autres formes d'art figuratif représentant le Bouddha et des épisodes de sa vie, notamment à Amaravati, capitale des Satavahanas, à Nagarjunakoṇḍa, capitale des Ikṣvakus, et à Mathura, une ville provinciale importante des Kouchans, l'art bouddhique du Gandhara se caractérise par un style unique, l'utilisation de schiste facilement disponible dans la région et une préférence iconographique pour les épisodes de la vie du Bouddha historique. Le Gandhara est le nom de l'une des satrapies orientales de l'empire perse 2. Il comprenait principalement les vallées fertiles des rivières de Kaboul et de Swat et la partie supérieure de l'Indus. Parmi les villes anciennes de cette période citons Begram (Alexandrie de Caucase), Pushkalavati (Peshawar moderne) et Takshashila (Taxila moderne). Les limites du Gandhara ont été modifiées au cours de l'histoire et la vallée entière de Swat y a également été incluse à différentes époques. Le coeur de Gandhara, cependant, a toujours été la vallée de Peshawar. Parmi les sites bouddhistes mis au jour à la fin du xix e et au début du xx e siècle, Takht-i-Bahi, Sahri Bahlol, Jamalgarhi, Ranigaṭ, Loriyan Tangai,
Ancient Lanka, Dec 30, 2023
We report the archaeological findings from the historic site of Kuchchaveli in the northeastern c... more We report the archaeological findings from the historic site of Kuchchaveli in the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka, based on our excavations in 2011. The Kuchchaveli complex revealed features of a Mahāyāna Buddhist centre during the 7 th and 8 th centuries as indicated by the structures and an inscription as well as a number of Buddhist sculptures and carvings. Archaeological material and a radiocarbon date of 1880 ± 30 BP from a test pit indicate an earlier occupation as well. Our excavations offered insights to the structures built at Kuchchaveli and yielded pottery fragments, glass beads, faunal remains and other artefacts of interest. This report highlights findings from six test pits, where two test pits correspond to the possible bodhigara and water tank of the monastery. The similarity of the Kuchchaveli glass finds to those from other sites in Sri Lanka highlights the internal circulation of glass beads during the period that Kuchchaveli was an active site. The faunal remains suggest that a mix of domesticated and wild animals were part of the diet in the community. Apart from being a monastic establishment linked to the southeast coast of India, Kuchchaveli revealed trade activities with other regions over a long period, particularly in the Middle Historic Period of the region.
BRILL eBooks, Jan 18, 2017
Osmund Bopearachchi, “ACHAEMENIDS AND MAURYANS: EMERGENCE OF COINS AND PLASTIC ARTS IN INDIA” , I... more Osmund Bopearachchi, “ACHAEMENIDS AND MAURYANS: EMERGENCE OF COINS AND PLASTIC ARTS IN INDIA” , India and Iran in the Longue Durée, Edited by Alka Patel and Touraj Daryaee, UCI, Indian Centre for Persian Studies, 2017, pp. 15-47. In ancient times the Indian satraps of the Persian Empire manifested their autonomy in multiple ways, for example in monetary policies by issuing their own coinage; thus artistic independence would not have been out of place. At the same time, it is true that ancient Indian art underwent drastic changes as the focus of inspiration changed from one horizon to the other. In many cases, even without precise textual evidence, coin types and artistic expressions show the effects of different cultures. India no doubt was inspired by Persia, but instead of reproducing stereotypical prototypes, it used outside inspiration to create new forms unique to the region. The study of Indian art demands a multi-disciplinary approach, wherein we can clearly trace the interactions between two cultures. Ultimately, this interaction gave birth to an extraordinary form of art which is neither western nor indigenous, but Indian.
Origin, evolution, and circulation of foreign coins in the Indian Ocean : proceedings of the numismatic workshop "origin and evolution of coins" and the international seminar "circulation of foreign coins in Sri Lanka and ancient sea routes in the Indian Ocean", Colombo, 8-10 September 1994
Manohar eBooks, 1998
Examen d’un plat de facture romaine portant deux inscriptions en langues iraniennes, l’une en bac... more Examen d’un plat de facture romaine portant deux inscriptions en langues iraniennes, l’une en bactrien gravee en pointille, l’autre incisee en pārsīg. Trouve dans l’ouest du Pakistan, cet objet souleve plusieurs questions : s’agit-il d’un plat fabrique dans l’est de l’empire romain qui a echoue dans l’est de l’empire sassanide par la voie des echanges commerciaux, ou aurait-il ete produit dans un atelier d’orfevres d’Antioche deportes en Iran au IIIe siecle ? Laquelle des deux inscriptions, bactrienne ou pārsīg, est anterieure a l’autre ? Si ces questions restent pour le moment sans reponse ferme et definitive, le merite de cet objet est de les soulever.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2011
ABSTRACT
Études Numismatiques Kouchanes
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2009
Sacred Texts and Iconographies relating the Life Story of the Buddha. Contradictions and Confusions, édité par Guillaume Ducoeur et Osmund Bopearachchi, Archaeologia Afghana, Série scientifique IV, Université de Strasbourg, 2025, pp. 9-15.
The life of the historical Buddha is recounted in the sacred texts in a variety of ways, dependin... more The life of the historical Buddha is recounted in the sacred texts in a variety of ways, depending on chronological, linguistic, geographical and other criteria. Some textual narratives do not correspond to the known iconographies, and some iconographies have no corresponding texts. Important events in the life of the Buddha are not homogeneously represented in schools of art in ancient South and Southeast Asia. This fact is directly linked to the marked differences in the way events are recounted in the sacred texts. The many variations include: the manner in which the future Buddha was born; the final motivation that drove him to leave the palace to become an itinerant ascetic; whether or not when he left his household to become homeless, he left behind his newborn son Rāhula; the way in which he spent the time that elapsed between the moment of enlightenment and the first sermon. These shifting storylines have not only guided and perhaps confused artists of the past, but they have also deeply confused modern scholars, especially art historians.
Sacred Texts and Iconographies relating the Life Story of the Buddha. Contradictions and Confusions, édité par Guillaume Ducoeur et Osmund Bopearachchi, Archaeologia Afghana, Série scientifique IV, Université de Strasbourg, 2025, pp. 39-76., 2025
This article discusses the originality of many of the visual narratives of the Buddha's life engr... more This article discusses the originality of many of the visual narratives of the Buddha's life engraved on the gateways (toraṇas) of the Great Sāñcī stūpa. For this demonstration, two important events related to the story of the Buddha's life will be discussed: the seven weeks the Buddha spent near the bodhi tree after his enlightenment and the "twin miracle", or yamakaprāṭihārya that the Blessed One performed in Kapilavastu before the Śākyas, who were obstinate in their pride and in Śrāvastī by accepting the challenge of non-believers led by Purāṇa Kāśyapa.
International Center for Ethnic Studies, 2008, 32 p.
Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian Coins in the Smithsonian Institution
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Sep 7, 2015
Topoi. Orient-Occident, 2014
Bopearachchi Osmund. I. Strauch (éd.), Foreign Sailors on Socotra (2012). In: Topoi, volume 19/2,... more Bopearachchi Osmund. I. Strauch (éd.), Foreign Sailors on Socotra (2012). In: Topoi, volume 19/2, 2014. pp. 875-879
Etude d'histoire et de numismatique indo-grecques : d'après la collection monétaire du Cabinet des Médailles de Paris
Une etude de l'histoire des royaumes indo-grecs a travers des materiels archeologiques, des t... more Une etude de l'histoire des royaumes indo-grecs a travers des materiels archeologiques, des textes anciens et surtout des monnaies frappees d'etalon non attique et a legende bilingues en grec et en langues indiennes, qui furent des emissions des souverains grecques qui ont regne au 2e et au 1er siecles av. J. -c. , dans les territoires indiens qui s'etendent des paropamisades au panjab. Une analyse systematiques des tresors monetaires, des surfrappes, des types monetaires et des monogrammes est faite afin d'etablir un ordre chronologique. Un catalogue complet des monnaies indo-grecques de la collection du cabinet des medailles de paris, et celles de l'ashmolean museum et du british museum.
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, The Collection of the American Numismatic Society, Part 9, Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek coins", ed. by O. Bopearachchi, New York 1998 : [recenzja] / Mariusz Mielczarek
Wiadomości Numizmatyczne, 2000
Studia Iranica, 1990
Le regne de Menandre est d'une importance capitale pour la comprehension de l'histoire de... more Le regne de Menandre est d'une importance capitale pour la comprehension de l'histoire des rois indo-grecs, car il fut le souverain grec le plus puissant qui ait regne dans les territoires indiens. Il est le seul roi grec dont la litterature indienne ait conserve le souvenir, les auteurs classiques le presentent comme un roi modele. L'A. analyse le materiel numismatique et les sources litteraires a la lumiere des donnees nouvelles fournies par la fouille d'Ai Khanoum, il propose une sequence des evenements qui ont marque son regne. Il essaye de repondre a plusieurs questions concernant la chronologie, l'extension geographique du royaume, et les souverains contemporains de Menandre en Bactriane et en Inde (Res. d'A.)
Preserving Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage : What is to be done
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Feb 22, 2006
... collections. Among them are the invaluable ivory plaques excavated at Begram by French archae... more ... collections. Among them are the invaluable ivory plaques excavated at Begram by French archaeologists in 1937. ... admiration. Begram is one of the rare sites that still remains undisturbedand this only because it is littered with land mines (fig. ...
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2007
ABSTRACT
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Videos by Osmund Bopearachchi
Papers by Osmund Bopearachchi