- Buddhist Studies, Nepal, Tibetan Art, Archaeology of Nepal, History of Vajrayana Buddhism of Nepal, The archaeology of the Himalayas and Tibet, and 62 moreHimalayan Art, Himalayan History, Anthropology of Tibet and the Himalayas, Vernacular Architecture of Himachal, Himalayan culture, Tibetan and Himalayan societies, Anthropology of Shamanism, Archaeology of shamanism, Ladakhi Studies, Tibet, Sikkim, Bhutan, Western Himalayas, History of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, History of Tantra In India, Vajrayana Buddhism In Tibet, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeanism, Newar Buddhism, Newar Culture, Anthropology of Buddhism, Shamanic Possession, Trance, and Altered Staes of Consciousness, Himalayan Civilization, Himalayan Civilization-Nepal, Himalayan studies, Buddhism and Himalayan Studies, Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region, Himalayan Anthropology, Himalayan corridor, Himalayan Ecology, Himalayan Studies: Mustang, Central Asian and Western Himalayan Art, Ladakh, Tibet , Himalayan areas, Himalayan regions and South Asia, Trans-Himalayan languages, Himalayan and Central Asian Studies, History of Sikkim. Eastern Himalayan studies, Himalayan culture, identity and statehood, Extended Himalayan Region, Archaeology of Himalayan Region, Himalayan exploration, Himalayan Art History, Himalayan Buddhist Art, Trans-Himalayan Trade & Culture, Sub-Himalayan Region, Himalayan region, Frontal Eastern Arunachal Himalayan studies, Trans Himalayan cold desert of Ladak, Living Himalayan Heritage, Himalayan Resaerch Institute Shimla, Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Heritage, Himalayan peoples and culture, Tibetan and Himalayan art, Great Himalayan National Park, Himalayan Buddhist wall painting, Central Asian, Tibetan and Himalayan Studies, Himalayan culture and history Ethnographic film, History of Mithila, and Rig Vedaedit
- Postdoc at the quai Branly-Jacques Chirac museum (2020-2022). PhD in Himalayan Archaeology from Universitée Paris Sor... morePostdoc at the quai Branly-Jacques Chirac museum (2020-2022).
PhD in Himalayan Archaeology from Universitée Paris Sorbonne (obtained in 2019).
Archaeologist and Project Coordinator for the UNESCO Kathmandu Office (2015 to 2018).
Consultant for the NGO Oriental Cultural Heritage Sites Protection Alliance (OCHSPA) in Kathmandu (2010 to 2015).edit
On April 25, 2015 the 8.1 magnitude Gorkha Earthquake caused severe destruction in Central Nepal. Thousands of historic monuments, particularly within Kathmandu Valley’s seven World Heritage Monument Zones, were affected. Svayambhu, a... more
On April 25, 2015 the 8.1 magnitude Gorkha Earthquake caused severe destruction in Central Nepal. Thousands of historic monuments, particularly within Kathmandu Valley’s seven World Heritage Monument Zones, were affected. Svayambhu, a central place of devotion for Buddhists and Hindus of Nepal, India and Tibet, lost many treasured buildings, among them the Mangal Bahudvara Caitya, which collapsed completely. This publication describes the tremendous joint effort of the religious community, Nepal’s Department of Archaeology, UNESCO and numerous dedicated volunteers to realize the caitya’s complete restoration.
Research Interests:
This work presents the descriptions of 295 Buddhist structures found in the Kathmandu Valley. The descriptive work is based on field observations with considerations for the architectural evolution (modernization or loss) of the... more
This work presents the descriptions of 295 Buddhist structures found in the Kathmandu Valley. The descriptive work is based on field observations with considerations for the architectural evolution (modernization or loss) of the institutions.
Research Interests:
The medieval architecture of western Nepal has so far received little attention in scholarly literature. In particular, the region is known as the centre of the Khaśa Malla empire, which lasted from the 12th to the 14th century. Previous... more
The medieval architecture of western Nepal has so far received little attention in scholarly literature. In particular, the region is known as the centre of the Khaśa Malla empire, which lasted from the 12th to the 14th century. Previous work on the subject has interpreted the śikhara temples (locally called deval) as manifestations of the economic and political success of the Khaśa Malla emperors. This paper questions the dating and purpose of deval temples in the Karnali basin by mobilizing field data. The study reveals that deval temples were not the sole preserve of the imperial era but also of the later one. Regional architectural preferences are identified and historically contextualized. Similarly, it is proposed that the temples were mainly erected for memorial purposes, to honour
individuals or lineages.
individuals or lineages.
Research Interests:
This review essay presents three publications on central Himalayan arts
and architecture. Published over the past decade, they constitute the
most recent works on the subject.
and architecture. Published over the past decade, they constitute the
most recent works on the subject.
Research Interests:
The medieval arts and history of western Nepal remain poor relatives of Himalayan studies. In 1994, Ian Alsop published in this magazine the first study ever dedicated to the metal sculptures of the Khasa Malla kingdom (Alsop, 1994). His... more
The medieval arts and history of western Nepal remain poor relatives of Himalayan studies. In 1994, Ian Alsop published in this magazine the first study ever dedicated to the metal sculptures of the Khasa Malla kingdom (Alsop, 1994). His contribution to the field is of the greatest value as it brought to light an overlooked 12th- to 14th-century central Himalayan empire, stretching from Uttarakhand to Mustang, and demonstrated its appeal to Buddhism and Buddhist art. The purpose of this paper is to further Alsop’s study by focusing on Ripu Malla, a particularly active Khasa Malla ruler of the early 14th century. By doing so, the metal sculptures attributed to the period of the Khasa Malla kings will be contextualized with the artistic heritage of western Nepal, where the rulers had their capitals.
Research Interests:
This paper was first meant to deal with the study of the Itum Bahāl iconography. This institution is an urban Newar Buddhist monastery whose restoration is in progress as these lines are written. With regard to the recent situation in... more
This paper was first meant to deal with the study of the Itum Bahāl iconography. This institution is an urban Newar Buddhist monastery whose restoration is in progress as these lines are written. With regard to the recent situation in Nepal the author decided to rather present the notion of iconographic studies as a necessary requirement in the context of an ethic rehabilitation of heritage monuments. Archaeological surveys are also considered as a must, however their practice just " re-entered " the Kathmandu Valley after a long absence.
Research Interests:
In the aftermath of the Gorkha earthquake of 25 April 2015, archaeological and architectural work has been conducted at the holy site of Svayambhū (Monument Zone of Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site). Being the focal point of a large... more
In the aftermath of the Gorkha earthquake of 25 April 2015, archaeological and architectural work has been conducted at the holy site of Svayambhū (Monument Zone of Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site). Being the focal point of a large number of devotees, a prompt and adequate emergency response was needed to secure and protect the cultural and architectural heritage of the temples, houses, shrines and artifacts. Two methods were practised: a post-disaster archaeological investigation and an architectural inventory and survey. The former resulted in an archaeological analysis of a stūpa, and the latter was conducted to produce an up-to-date map of all buildings in their current state and an inventory of each structure with relevant diagnosis, photographs and situation outlines.
Research Interests:
A history and archaeology of Itumbāhā monastery in Kathmandu, based on the iconographic study of the monument's struts.
Author's note: the editors unfortunately published a draft version of the article.
Author's note: the editors unfortunately published a draft version of the article.
Research Interests:
Thesis cover with abstracts in French and English.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Ethnoarchaeology, Tibetan Studies, Himalayan culture, Shamanism, and 11 moreHimalayan Civilization-Nepal, Anthropology of Tibet and the Himalayas, Nepal, Tibetan and Himalayan societies, Himalayan Art, Archaeology of Nepal, Tibetan History, Mediumship, Nepali Architecture, Western Himalaya, and Nepali Language and Culture
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
2015 post-earthquake UNESCO report.
Research Interests:
2015 post-earthquake UNESCO report.
Research Interests:
2015 post-earthquake UNESCO report.
Research Interests:
2015 post-eat earthquake report.
Research Interests:
2015 post-earthquake report.
Research Interests:
2015 post-earthquake UNESCO report.
Research Interests:
2015 post-earthquake UNESCO report.
Research Interests:
Tsha tshas are small objects made of raw or baked clay, produced between India and Mongolia since the second half of the first millennium. Made during Buddhist rituals generally aimed at the accumulation of merit, tsha tshas (Tibetan... more
Tsha tshas are small objects made of raw or baked clay, produced between India and Mongolia since the second half of the first millennium. Made during Buddhist rituals generally aimed at the accumulation of merit, tsha tshas (Tibetan term) can also be made in a funerary context. In the latter case, fragments of crushed bones, ashes from a pyre or nails can be incorporated into the clay during its preparation.
Easily transportable because of their small size, tsha tshas are nomadic objects that can be found in the collections of many Western museums. However, the precise origin of these objects is largely unknown. Furthermore, certain objects’ notices indicate that the latter are made of clay and human bone powder. It is therefore interesting to question whether archaeometric instruments and methodologies, combined with an ethno-archaeological approach, can provide new information on the contexts of manufacture. Are these objects merely votive objects or are they also funerary, and thus bear human remains? Is it possible to learn more about the contexts of deposit of tsha tshas and, by extension, the contexts of collect?
The presentation will address these concerns by presenting the preliminary results of non-
invasive studies made on tsha tshas from the collections of the Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris. These studies include radiological examinations (CT scans), 3D digital microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses, and X-ray fluorescence. The preliminary results will then be contextualised with ethno-archaeological work carried in Nepal since 2015. This side of the research focuses on two aspects: the contemporary practices of tsha tshas’ ritual fabrication (placing the makers and ritual specialists at the centre of a reflexion on how to carry material analyses and how to exhibit objects in Western museums), and their few documented archaeological contexts. The presentation will thus convey a pluri-disciplinary approach of important Buddhist ritual objects.
Easily transportable because of their small size, tsha tshas are nomadic objects that can be found in the collections of many Western museums. However, the precise origin of these objects is largely unknown. Furthermore, certain objects’ notices indicate that the latter are made of clay and human bone powder. It is therefore interesting to question whether archaeometric instruments and methodologies, combined with an ethno-archaeological approach, can provide new information on the contexts of manufacture. Are these objects merely votive objects or are they also funerary, and thus bear human remains? Is it possible to learn more about the contexts of deposit of tsha tshas and, by extension, the contexts of collect?
The presentation will address these concerns by presenting the preliminary results of non-
invasive studies made on tsha tshas from the collections of the Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris. These studies include radiological examinations (CT scans), 3D digital microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses, and X-ray fluorescence. The preliminary results will then be contextualised with ethno-archaeological work carried in Nepal since 2015. This side of the research focuses on two aspects: the contemporary practices of tsha tshas’ ritual fabrication (placing the makers and ritual specialists at the centre of a reflexion on how to carry material analyses and how to exhibit objects in Western museums), and their few documented archaeological contexts. The presentation will thus convey a pluri-disciplinary approach of important Buddhist ritual objects.
Research Interests:
The medieval architecture of west Nepal as a whole has yet retained little attention in academic literature. The basin of the Karnali River is notably known as being the centre of the Khaśa Malla empire, which lasted from the 12th to the... more
The medieval architecture of west Nepal as a whole has yet retained little attention in academic literature. The basin of the Karnali River is notably known as being the centre of the Khaśa Malla empire, which lasted from the 12th to the 14th century. Hence it is naturally that the few authors who have investigated west Nepal’s archaeology have interpreted the śikhara temples (locally known as deval) and other standing monuments (mainly water architecture) as manifestations of the economic and political success of the Khaśa Malla emperors. Nevertheless, these considerations rest on important methodological issues, amongst which are the absence of a typo-chronological approach and the lack of comparisons with similar monuments from the neighbouring Mahakali River area (far-west Nepal and Uttarakhand).
To rectify these lacunas, the presentation will explore the origins and regional developments of stone monuments from western and far-western Nepal. Likewise, the vocation of śikhara temples and their posterity outside of western Nepal will be addressed.
By mobilising field data, the presentation will demonstrate that these monuments did not appear ex nihilo during the Khaśa Malla period. It will be demonstrated that they are in fact the results of centuries of a continuous development that involved travelling architects from north and western India as well as local artists.
To rectify these lacunas, the presentation will explore the origins and regional developments of stone monuments from western and far-western Nepal. Likewise, the vocation of śikhara temples and their posterity outside of western Nepal will be addressed.
By mobilising field data, the presentation will demonstrate that these monuments did not appear ex nihilo during the Khaśa Malla period. It will be demonstrated that they are in fact the results of centuries of a continuous development that involved travelling architects from north and western India as well as local artists.
Research Interests:
(expanded version of Pragues' IATS conference) The devastating earthquakes that shook Nepal in 2015 severely damaged and destroyed numerous heritage monuments. Amidst the disaster, archaeological research was possible in some places as an... more
(expanded version of Pragues' IATS conference) The devastating earthquakes that shook Nepal in 2015 severely damaged and destroyed numerous heritage monuments. Amidst the disaster, archaeological research was possible in some places as an initial step towards future restoration and reconstruction activities. Moreover, a major incentive for this post-disaster archaeology was the need to provide an immediate answer to protect monuments and artefacts from looting and further decay caused by weathering.
A central place of Buddhist worship, Svayambhū was one of the most affected world heritage monument zones of the Kathmandu valley. The presentation will discuss the archaeological excavation, carried under the aegis of UNESCO on the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, a hitherto overlooked monument.
As will be explored in the first part of the presentation, the monument was built (or at least renovated) in the 19th century, by a well-established family of Newari merchants involved in a profitable trade between Tibet and Nepal. An expression of this Tibeto-Newar connection is found in the architecture of the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, that follows the principles of Tibetan Tashi Gomang stūpas. The second part will focus on the iconography developed in the 124 niches of the stūpa’s façades, as they display a rarely encountered iconography, related to rituals described in the Kriyāsaṃgraha, a Tantric Buddhist text redacted in Nepal between the 11th and 13th century. After considering the outer iconography, the presentation will turn to the findings made inside the stūpa. Indeed, the inner structure presents a complex multi-layered architecture hosting a large number of clay caityas and tablets (tib. tsha tshas), coins of various periods and origins, jewelleries, vessels and statues.
Finally, the presentation will elaborate on the rituals executed throughout the construction phases of the stupa based on research of the iconographic program, artefacts and architecture encasing of the stūpa.
A central place of Buddhist worship, Svayambhū was one of the most affected world heritage monument zones of the Kathmandu valley. The presentation will discuss the archaeological excavation, carried under the aegis of UNESCO on the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, a hitherto overlooked monument.
As will be explored in the first part of the presentation, the monument was built (or at least renovated) in the 19th century, by a well-established family of Newari merchants involved in a profitable trade between Tibet and Nepal. An expression of this Tibeto-Newar connection is found in the architecture of the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, that follows the principles of Tibetan Tashi Gomang stūpas. The second part will focus on the iconography developed in the 124 niches of the stūpa’s façades, as they display a rarely encountered iconography, related to rituals described in the Kriyāsaṃgraha, a Tantric Buddhist text redacted in Nepal between the 11th and 13th century. After considering the outer iconography, the presentation will turn to the findings made inside the stūpa. Indeed, the inner structure presents a complex multi-layered architecture hosting a large number of clay caityas and tablets (tib. tsha tshas), coins of various periods and origins, jewelleries, vessels and statues.
Finally, the presentation will elaborate on the rituals executed throughout the construction phases of the stupa based on research of the iconographic program, artefacts and architecture encasing of the stūpa.
Research Interests:
The communication will present a central Himalayan pilgrimage center, famous for its natural gas flames and locally known as the Dullu Pancakoshi. As pointed out by Marie Lecomte-Tilouine in her historico-religious study of the area, the... more
The communication will present a central Himalayan pilgrimage center, famous for its natural gas flames and locally known as the Dullu Pancakoshi. As pointed out by Marie Lecomte-Tilouine in her historico-religious study of the area, the fire temples created a sacred landscape at the center of which the Khasa Malla emperors (12th-14th century) established one of their capitals. Although so far no subsurface archaeological research has been conducted, yet architectural and sculptural remains scattered on the five main sites and on secondary ones indicate the importance of this pilgrimage. A thorough surface field survey of the vestiges allows to draw a better picture of who visited the sites (Hindus, Buddhists and Jains). The presentation will show that the flow of pilgrims, continuous up until the 18th-19th century, supported the creation of local artistic workshops. Likewise, a typological and statistical approach of archaeological remains will reveal that the sites were in fact crowded with numerous medieval temples erected in the memory of deceased individuals.
Research Interests:
Since the 1990’s, an ever-growing corpus of metal statues has been identified as of Khaśa Malla origin and a “new” style of Himalayan art thus branded. The term Khaśa Malla refers to a trans-Himalayan empire known from Tibetan historical... more
Since the 1990’s, an ever-growing corpus of metal statues has been identified as of Khaśa Malla origin and a “new” style of Himalayan art thus branded. The term Khaśa Malla refers to a trans-Himalayan empire known from Tibetan historical sources as Yatse (Tib. ya rtse). Between the twelfth and the fourteenth century, this relatively overlooked polity held sway over central and western Nepal, and probably parts of Uttarakhand and south-western Tibet. The seat of their power is usually located in the Karnali basin of west Nepal, in Dullu (Dailekh district) and in Sinja (Jumla district). The latter had been broadly recognized as the Tibetan kingdom of Yatse.
The Khaśa Malla emperors supported Buddhist institutions from Tibet to Bodhgaya, and frequently visited the Kathmandu valley, be it for religious purposes, or for plunder. Their names also appear in inscriptions as patrons of Hinduism. Authors have perceived these patronages in very different ways: while some have ignored or minimized the Hindu or the Buddhist affiliation of the Khaśa Mallas, others have considered it as a sign of the ruler’s religious pluralism.
The archaeological landscape of west Nepal, at the heart of the Khaśa Malla polity, reveals a unique cultural heritage, spanning from the twelfth to the seventeenth century. Latina temples (also called śikhara or deval), stone memorial pillars, water reservoirs, fountains, stūpas and, very occasionally, stone sculptures, show a great variety of styles. Monuments and artefacts testify the passage or the influence of artists from north and north-western India, mainly from Rajasthan-Gujarat and from nearby Uttarakhand. Stone statues were also imported directly from these regions.
In this context, the identification of a Khaśa Malla style of metal statuary, deserves close attention. As our presentation will show, the metal sculptures considered so far are largely taken out of context; chiefly, the style of the statuary is not contextualized with contemporary creations from west Nepal and their provenances remain unknown (a very few exceptions from Dolpa can be mentioned). Moreover, a foundational premise for attributing these metal sculptures to the Karnali Basin has been the presence of a “proto-Nepali” or “Devanāgarī” script utilized in inscribing the names of royal patrons on select examples from this milieu. We will demonstrate that this premise is unreliable.
Thus, the aim of our presentation is to propose a general reassessment of the Khaśa Malla metal statuary, based on an archaeological field investigation; what we know of the ruling and religious practices of the Khaśa Mallas based on Newar and Tibetan chronicles; and close comparisons between the iconography and stylistic markers to paintings and sculptures created in the surrounding regions of India, Nepal, and Tibet.
The Khaśa Malla emperors supported Buddhist institutions from Tibet to Bodhgaya, and frequently visited the Kathmandu valley, be it for religious purposes, or for plunder. Their names also appear in inscriptions as patrons of Hinduism. Authors have perceived these patronages in very different ways: while some have ignored or minimized the Hindu or the Buddhist affiliation of the Khaśa Mallas, others have considered it as a sign of the ruler’s religious pluralism.
The archaeological landscape of west Nepal, at the heart of the Khaśa Malla polity, reveals a unique cultural heritage, spanning from the twelfth to the seventeenth century. Latina temples (also called śikhara or deval), stone memorial pillars, water reservoirs, fountains, stūpas and, very occasionally, stone sculptures, show a great variety of styles. Monuments and artefacts testify the passage or the influence of artists from north and north-western India, mainly from Rajasthan-Gujarat and from nearby Uttarakhand. Stone statues were also imported directly from these regions.
In this context, the identification of a Khaśa Malla style of metal statuary, deserves close attention. As our presentation will show, the metal sculptures considered so far are largely taken out of context; chiefly, the style of the statuary is not contextualized with contemporary creations from west Nepal and their provenances remain unknown (a very few exceptions from Dolpa can be mentioned). Moreover, a foundational premise for attributing these metal sculptures to the Karnali Basin has been the presence of a “proto-Nepali” or “Devanāgarī” script utilized in inscribing the names of royal patrons on select examples from this milieu. We will demonstrate that this premise is unreliable.
Thus, the aim of our presentation is to propose a general reassessment of the Khaśa Malla metal statuary, based on an archaeological field investigation; what we know of the ruling and religious practices of the Khaśa Mallas based on Newar and Tibetan chronicles; and close comparisons between the iconography and stylistic markers to paintings and sculptures created in the surrounding regions of India, Nepal, and Tibet.
Research Interests:
The devastating earthquakes that shook Nepal in 2015 severely damaged and destroyed numerous heritage monuments. Amidst the disaster, archaeological research was possible in some places as an initial step towards future restoration and... more
The devastating earthquakes that shook Nepal in 2015 severely damaged and destroyed numerous heritage monuments. Amidst the disaster, archaeological research was possible in some places as an initial step towards future restoration and reconstruction activities. Moreover, a major incentive for this post-disaster archaeology was the need to provide an immediate answer to protect monuments and artefacts from looting and further decay caused by weathering.
A central place of Buddhist worship, Svayambhū was one of the most affected world heritage monument zones of the Kathmandu valley. The presentation will discuss the archaeological excavation, carried under the aegis of UNESCO on the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, a hitherto overlooked monument.
As will be explored in the first part of the paper, the monument was built (or at least renovated) in the 19th century, by a well-established family of Newari merchants involved in a profitable trade between Tibet and Nepal. An expression of this Tibeto-Newar connection is found in the architecture of the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, that follows the principles of Tibetan Tashi Gomang stūpas. The second part will focus on the iconography developed in the 124 niches of the stūpa’s façades, as they display a rarely encountered iconography, related to rituals described in the Kriyāsaṃgraha, a Tantric Buddhist text redacted in Nepal between the 11th and 13th century. After considering the outer iconography, the presentation will turn to the findings made inside the stūpa. Indeed, the inner structure presents a complex multi-layered architecture hosting a large number of clay caityas and tablets (Tib. tsha tshas), coins of various periods and origins, jewelleries, vessels and statues.
Finally, this paper will elaborate on the rituals executed throughout the construction phases of the stupa based on research of the iconographic program, artefacts and architecture encasing of the stūpa.
A central place of Buddhist worship, Svayambhū was one of the most affected world heritage monument zones of the Kathmandu valley. The presentation will discuss the archaeological excavation, carried under the aegis of UNESCO on the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, a hitherto overlooked monument.
As will be explored in the first part of the paper, the monument was built (or at least renovated) in the 19th century, by a well-established family of Newari merchants involved in a profitable trade between Tibet and Nepal. An expression of this Tibeto-Newar connection is found in the architecture of the Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya, that follows the principles of Tibetan Tashi Gomang stūpas. The second part will focus on the iconography developed in the 124 niches of the stūpa’s façades, as they display a rarely encountered iconography, related to rituals described in the Kriyāsaṃgraha, a Tantric Buddhist text redacted in Nepal between the 11th and 13th century. After considering the outer iconography, the presentation will turn to the findings made inside the stūpa. Indeed, the inner structure presents a complex multi-layered architecture hosting a large number of clay caityas and tablets (Tib. tsha tshas), coins of various periods and origins, jewelleries, vessels and statues.
Finally, this paper will elaborate on the rituals executed throughout the construction phases of the stupa based on research of the iconographic program, artefacts and architecture encasing of the stūpa.