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| To help you plan a holiday in Myanmar, we provide the complete travel fact resource. Whether you are looking for geography, climate, government, economy, people , religion, language , literature, custom, festivals, costumes, music, handicrafts or architecture of Myanmar. You will get all and more by clicking the sections below. |
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THE IVORY CARVING
Ivory carving has a long and colorful history almost like a fairytale. The origin of ivory carving can be traced as far back as the period when Bodhisatta (embryo Buddha) was the elephant King Saddan Sin Min. Once there was a day when Chulasubhadda, the lesser queen of Saddam was unfortunately pricked by ants from a branch off and King Saddan Sin Min has offered his help. However, the lesser queen, Chulasubhadda misunderstood King Saddan's good intentions as a deliberate willful attempt to break her heart. In revenge, she prayed that she will become the chief queen of a King in the next existence and that she might adom herself with the earrings made from the tusks of King Saddan.
True enough, Chulasubhadda became the chief queen of the King of Benaras but she was all along unhappy despite of her worldly comforts. The King loves her so much that he cannot stand her loneliness. Upon his asking of how to make her happy, she told her beloved King that having herself adorned with the earrings of the tusks of King Saddan will unlock her happiness. And hence the King of Benaras decided to fulfill her wish. He called on a skillful crafty hunter named Sonuttara to shoot Saddan in the jungle. This was successfully achieved; Saddan was mortally wounded with the poisoned arrow. The elephant King Saddan leamed of the queen's revenge from her previous existence, and he willingly took off his tusks and gave it to the hunter before he collapsed and died. The goodwill of King Saddan was made known to Chulasubhadda, she embraced the tusks in her bosom and repenting over her sin, and died broken -hearted soon after. This story reveals to us the fact that earrings made of ivory was not an unknown thing and ivory carving must have existed as early as the days of Buddha.
In the Burmese era 470, Alaugsithu, King of Bagan, while traveling to Ceylon and India chanced to see and discovered enormous centipedes that have made their dwellings out of huge elephant tusks. There upon the tusks were brought over to Burma and King Alaungsithu had them carved as figures of Buddha and worshipped them reverentially in his palace.
About eighty years ago, at Moulmein, Saya U Shwe Ko was known to have acquired the craftsmanship of ivory carving through his own experiments and practice. Shan timber traders from Kadoe kawhat usually brought with them elephant tusks which he acquired in abundance. This encouraged him to try his skill in ivory carving. When Saya Shwe Ko died, he left no clue to his craftsmanship. Mter thirty years of research work and experiment, his nephew Saya Nyein could only attempt to adopt the craftsmanship on a commercial basis.
At Pyimana, where there is an abundance of teak 'forests and elephants, ivory tusks are often picked up from the forests. Hence ivory carving became an industry in Pyinmana. But there are not many Ivory carvers. The craftsmanship has not developed as much as it ought to. This is due to the fact that the old ivory carvers were not willing enough to share their craft with anyone. An amateur has to undergo at least three years' training at the end of which period he is allowed to handle only those simple pieces that do not require elaborate carving. In carving a piece of ivory the required design is first drawn on the ivory with pencil. This is then sawn off with a saw. The holes for the outwork are then measured and bored with a hammer made from the antlers of a deer. Many kinds of heavy and light tools, chisels, files and hammers are used. The outline is then shaped with a chisel. And to make the interior of the figures and the floral designs become prominent, the whole carving is rubbed with a smooth fine sand paper. The husks of paddy and soap are used to wash the carving which is then placed in the sun to dry.
Small pieces of ivory are used for making daggers, Buddha figures, table knives, spoons and forks, paper cutters and combs. The larger pieces are made into boxes, frames of pictures, flower-bowl stands, jewelry and ornaments. The craftsmanship has not been patronized to a large extent because of the importation of ivory goods and articles from China and Western Europe. However, the local craftsmen believe that their own local products are more detailed in designs and has finer finishing compared to those foreign products.
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