Studiegids

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Indonesian (Sanskrit) inscriptions in their art historical context

Vak
2007-2008

A survey of Sanskrit inscriptions of Indonesia and the Malay peninsula as introduction to epigraphy as a discipline; to the writing systems of Indian origin used in Southeast Asia; to the ancient history and art history of Indonesia.

Rooster

See website of the department www.indonesisch.leidenuniv.nl

Onderwijsvorm

Tutorial.

Leerdoelen

Ability to decipher inscriptions in the so-called ‘Pre-Nagari’, ‘Pallava’ and ‘Kawi’ scripts that were in use in ancient Indonesia (and the Malay peninsula); knowledge of the development of ancient Indonesian (art) history; ability to interpret the information contained in the inscriptions within their (art) historical context. For students of Sanskrit: ability to translate epigraphical Sanskrit.

Literatuur

The literature will be made available for xeroxing at the desk in the library of the Kern Institute. Handbooks that will be used include:

*Sarkar, H.B., 1971-1972, Corpus of the inscriptions of Java (Corpus inscriptionum Javanicarum), (up to 928 A.D.). Calcutta: Mudhopadhyay. 2 vols. *Casparis, J.G. de, 1950, Inscripties uit de Çailendra-tijd. Bandung: Nix. (Prasasti Indonesia 1) *Casparis, J.G. de, 1956, Selected inscriptions from the 7th to the 9th century A.D. Bandung: Masa Baru. (Prasasti Indonesia 2) *Casparis, J.J. de, 1975, Indonesian palaeography: a history of writing in Indonesia from the beginnings to c. A.D. 1500. Leiden [etc.]: Brill. (Handbuch der Orientalistik 3/4).

Toetsing

Half of the grade will be determined on the basis of the students’ weekly participation and preparation, esp. for the palaeographical part of the course; the other half will be determined by term papers (to be written individually or in small groups).

Informatie

Required background: the course is open to students from the departments of Indology, Indonesian Studies, Asian archaeology, and art history. Knowledge of Sanskrit is not necessary.
Arlo Griffiths (arlo.griffiths@let.leidenuniv.nl) and Marijke Klokke (m.j.klokke@let.leidenuniv.nl)

Blackboard/webpagina

Yes.

Overzicht

Each weekly meeting consists of three one-hour blocks, the first devoted to problems of translation in the selected inscriptions; the second to deciphering the script of next week’s selection; the third to the (art) historical context of the selected document.