Buddhist clay tablets from Myanmar

Another quite interesting finding I made at the Humboldt Forum were some Buddhist clay tablets from Myanmar. The illustrations on the clay tablets frequently revisit certain motifs. They predominantly depict the Buddha during his moment of enlightenment in Bodhgaya, where he is portrayed seated in the lotus pose, his right hand gesturing towards the earth. He’s often presented within a temple setting, which signifies the renowned Mahabodhi Temple – a commemorative structure in Bodhgaya that remains a pilgrimage destination. Above the Buddha, one can observe the distinct heart-shaped leaves of the Bodhi Tree, and occasionally, there are tiny stupas or devotees accompanying the scene.

In examining these tablets, I was reminded of a parallel in Christian art: panels, often crafted from ivory or wood, which portray scenes from the life of Jesus, biblical events, or depictions of saints. Some of these panels could be folded, serving as compact portable altars. This observation aligns with my earlier post on the shared artistic-spiritual motifs between East and West, further highlighting the universality of artistic expressions across diverse cultural traditions.

The following images show the tablets that I’ve seen at the Humboldt Forum. Unfortunately, no further descriptions were available. I’ve tried to find some more information online, but I couldn’t find anything. If you know more about these tablets, please let me know in the comments below. At the end of this post, I’ve also included images of Christian panels, taken at the Museum Schnütgen in Cologne, for comparison.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Buddhist clay table from Myanmar, Humboldt Forum, Berlin.

Wood carving of medieval scenes, Museum Schnütgen, Cologne.

Ivory carving of scenes from the life of Jesus, Museum Schnütgen, Cologne.

Small silver altar with scene of the crucifixion, Museum Schnütgen, Cologne.