This study deals with stone representations of Bhīma, one of the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. This epic which originates from India, is already known on Java in the tenth century.... Show moreThis study deals with stone representations of Bhīma, one of the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. This epic which originates from India, is already known on Java in the tenth century. The Bhīma representations which include statues and reliefs appeared during the Majapahit Period (1296-1527 C.E.) and were mainly found on mountain sanctuaries in present East and Central Java. Given the number of statues found, there was a worship of Bhīma going on during the Majapahit Period. The study researches the motives, the spread and the origin of the worship, its relation to other gods and the influence of wayang on the worship. It concentrates on the iconography of Bhīma, and the interpretation of his iconography. Furthermore it examines Bhīma literature and the material and historical context of the Bhīma representations. This interdisciplinary research shows that protection, salvation and fertility were motives for the Bhīma worship. It also indicates that Bhīma's descent from Bāyu, the god of the wind and his father, was substantial for his worship. The worship was definitely of Javanese origin and the wayang played a considerable role in it. Show less
Central Javanese temples were not built anywhere and anyhow, quite the contrary: their position within the landscape and their architectural design was determined by a series of socio-cultural,... Show moreCentral Javanese temples were not built anywhere and anyhow, quite the contrary: their position within the landscape and their architectural design was determined by a series of socio-cultural, religious and economical factors. Correlations between temple distribution, natural surroundings and architectural design provide valuable clues as to how Central Javanese people structured the space around them, and how the religious landscape thus created developed. This thesis reveals the main traits of land occupancy during the Central Javanese period (late 8th to early 10th centuries): a core agricultural region, a series of secondary centres, an extensive communication network, and several religious centres – sometimes relatively isolated. It also explores the relationship between temples and landscape, and assess the role played by specific landscape markers on the choice of a building site. Beyond the questions of territory and landscape, the present work also offers a reflection on the structure of the built space and its possible relations with conceptualized space, showing the inlfuence of imported Indian concepts – as well as their limits. Show less
