Dear list members,

The Australian Centre for Asian Art and Archaeology in association with Buddhist studies at USYD will present a public lecture by Professor Peter Skilling; The Enigma of Si Thep.

Tuesday 21 April at 5 – 6.30pm at The Refectory, Main Quadrangle, University of Sydney (http://db.auth.usyd.edu.au/directories/map/building.stm?ref=D15H22).  Access down stairway near Faculty of Arts Office, south-western corner of the Quad, below MacLaurin Hall

We do hope you can attend
AABS Executive

The Enigma of Si Thep
One of the extraordinary ancient sites of Thailand is Si Thep, a large moated and fortified city in a commanding position in the Pasak River valley. A major polity in which Buddhism and Brahmanism flourished, it developed its own style and produced outstanding images which today count among some of Thailand’s – and Southeast Asia’s – masterpieces. Recent excavations (2008) uncovered an immense laterite stupa, one of the largest in Thailand. Despite the early discovery of several inscriptions, we know little if anything about Si Thep’s political development, its dynasties, or its relations with other states in the region and beyond. We do not even know its ancient name. This is the enigma of Si Thep – a civilization with a face (and a remarkable face at that) but without a name.

Readings
Peter Skilling, ‘L’énigme de Si Thep.’ In Pierre Baptiste et Thierry Zéphir (ed.), Dvaravati – aux sources du bouddhisme en Thaïlande, Paris: Réunion des musées nationaux/Établissement public du musée des Arts asiatiques Guimet, 2009, pp. 117-125.
Peter Skilling, ‘A Recently Discovered Sūrya Image from Thailand.’ In Gerd J.R. Mevissen and Arundhati Banerji (ed.), Prajñādhara: Essays on Asian Art, History, Epigraphy and Culture in Honour of Gouriswar Bhattacharya, New Delhi: Kaveri Books, 2009, pp. 455–465 and pls. 46.1–10.