Buddhist votive tablets

Meaning

Buddhist votive tablets are moulded clay sealings stamped with the Buddha, stupas and the 'ye dharma' verse, which summarises the Buddha's teaching of causes.

Intent

They were made to earn merit, deposited by the hundreds in stupas and caves, and carried by pilgrims. Later they were taken out and worn as protective amulets, which is how Thai amulet culture began.

Significance

They spread Indian Buddhist iconography across Southeast Asia, and hoards of them preserve lost styles. Some carry inscriptions naming donors, important for dating.

History

They were made from the 7th to 13th centuries in Bihar (Bodh Gaya), Burma (Pyu, Pagan), Thailand (Dvaravati, Srivijaya) and Java.

Making yours

4–12 cm terracotta or unbaked clay pressed into a bronze mould. A pointed-arch shape is typical.

Southeast Asia: the tradition

Buddhist votive tablets pressed from clay to earn merit spread from India to Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia from the 7th century. In Thailand this grew into the most intense living amulet culture in the world: phra khrueang (sacred objects) consecrated by revered monks, graded by temple, batch and monk, and traded at huge markets such as Tha Prachan in Bangkok, where prices for famous pieces reach millions of baht. Alongside Buddhism run older animist and Brahmanic beliefs in invulnerability (khong krapan), charm (metta) and luck. The Philippines developed its own Catholic-folk anting-anting.

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Votive Plaque with Figure of the Buddha, Temple at Bodhgaya, and StupasIndia, Bihar, Bodhgaya · 800s

Votive SealUttar Pradesh · 1st century BC to 1st century AD

votive tabletTagaung · 15th century-16th century

Buddhist votive tablet, terracotta, 11th-12th century, Pagan, BurmaPagan · 11th century-12th century

Buddha; Religion, clay, baked gilt, Burma, 1700-1800Burma · 1700-1800

Votive Plaque with BullJava · 13th/14th century

Carved votive sealBihar · circa 9th century

Votive sealIndia · 500 to 600 A.D.

A votive terracotta plaque that was impressed from a mouldThailand · 1300-1800

28 votive tablets and 6 pieces of Buddhist votive tablets, each with a figure of the Buddha on the front and bBodh Gaya

A Buddhist Votive Tablet11 th century date QS:P571,+1050-00-00T00:00:00Z/7

MET 9 DP248220r210th–11th century

Votive tabletTagaung · 1500-1600

Fragment of votive tablet showing Buddhas, terracotta, from the Kyaukku Ohnmin Temple at Pagan, Burma, probablPagan · 11th century

Buddha; Religion, clay, baked, Burma, 1700-1800Burma · 1700-1800

Relief plaqueBihar · 10th Century

พระสมเด็จวัดระฆัง (214 ปีชาตกาล)

Votive tablet with seated Buddha, terracotta, from the Kyaukku Ohnmin Temple at Pagan, Burma, 11th centuryPagan · 11th century

Buddha; Religion, clay, baked gilt, Burma, 1700-1800Burma · 1700-1800

สมเด็จกสินไฟ วัดถ้ำสระพงศ์

Fragment of a votive tablet showing Buddhas, terracotta, from the Kyaukku Ohnmin Temple at Pagan, Burma, 11th Pagan · 11th century

Buddha; Religion, clay, baked, Burma, 1700-1800Burma · 1700-1800

สมเด็จเข่าอุ

Terracotta Buddhist votive tablet, Pagan (Burma), 11th - 12th centuryPagan · 11th century - 12th century

Buddha; Religion, clay, baked, Burma, 1700-1800Burma · 1700-1800

Mold for a Buddhist Votive Tablet12th-13th century

Votive tablet, Seated Buddha, terracotta, BurmaPagan · Unknown

Buddha; Religion, clay, baked, Burma, 1700-1800Burma · 1700-1800

Pair of Votive Tablets with a Buddhist Deity18th-19th century

Fragment of votive tablet showing Buddhas, terracotta, from the Kyaukku Ohnmin Temple at Pagan, Burma, 11th cePagan · 11th century

Buddha; Religion, clay, baked gilt, Burma, 1700-1800Burma · 1700-1800

Buddhist Votive Tablet with Vighnantaka11 th century date QS:P571,+1050-00-00T00:00:00Z/7

Votive tablet with seated Buddha showing seven subjects from his life, terracotta, Pagan, Burma, 11th centuryPagan · 11th century

Figure of a Buddha - Votive PlaqueBurma · 1700-1800

Tang Clay Tablet (9915009295)

A votive seal with a seated Buddha expounding the law, terracotta, Pyu, Prome, Burma, 9th-10th centuryBurma · 9th century-10th century

Terracotta Moulds, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (33770917578)

Votive tablet with seated Buddha, terracotta, Pagan, BurmaBurma · 16th century

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705813467)

A 1700-1800 terracotta votive plaque of a seated Buddha that was moulded in low reliefBurma · 1700-1800

Tang Clay Tablet (9915074146)

Shakyamuni BuddhaBurma · 12th century

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705812077)

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705814157)

Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (47648415511)

Plaque

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705812727)

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705814907)

Thai buddhist amulets

Periodo asuka, triade amida, VII sec

Stupika and artifacts Bali 8th century

Tang Clay Tablet (9915058756)

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705811667)

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705813697)

พระพิมพ์ปางปาฏิหาริย์(พิมพ์หนา) (cropped)

พระสมเด็จวัดระฆัง รุ่น 214 ปีชาตกาล (เนื้อเดิม)

Anonymous Japanese votive panel of a lion-dog and peony, 1633, Honolulu Museum of Art

Shanyeni Buddhist Votive Tablets (9843473626)

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (32705813167)

Terracotta Votive Tablets, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sukhothai (47648419761)

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