Manufacturing Techniques of Ancient Metal Buddha Statues from Archaeological Sites in Bagan, Myanmar

Ancient metal Buddha statues from Bagan, Myanmar, reveal distinct manufacturing techniques and alloy compositions spanning different dynasties. Statues from the Pyu city state (2nd to 9th century) are primarily composed of Cu-Sn alloys with high tin content (16-25 wt%) but no lead, suggesting advanced metallurgical practices without heat treatment beyond casting. In contrast, statues from the Bagan dynasty (5th to 13th century) and Konbaung dynasty (18th century) incorporate ternary Cu-Sn-Pb alloys with heterogeneous distributions of lead and tin, indicating evolving techniques over time. A silver Buddha statue from the 18th century uniquely includes copper (>1 wt%) without additional metallic components. The study analyzed nine statues using archaeological methods to identify alloy compositions and manufacturing processes, providing insights into the technological sophistication and continuity of metalworking traditions in ancient Myanmar.

Lee, J. S., Win, Y. Y., Lee, B., & Yu, J. E. (2019). Manufacturing Techniques of Ancient Metal Buddha Statues from Archaeological Sites in Bagan, Myanmar. Journal of Conservation Science, 35(4), 309–316. https://doi.org/10.12654/jcs.2019.35.4.04