"This book offers a brief survey of the history of Nepal recalling why, leaving aside the Kathmandu valley, the sum of knowledge on its material culture lacks the objective distance allowed by other non-European civilizations: the country, long closed to Western visitors, opened but recently, and documents prior to the 1960s are scarce." "Bertrand Goy's research into the archives leads us on the tracks of is statuary, while the ethnologist Gisele Krauskopff shares with us a line of thought supported by her field experience and her knowledge of Nepalese culture. The testimony of a photographer traveller who visited Nepal in the pioneering days completes this volume with Hugues Dubois' photographs of the masks and statuettes collected over the past twenty years by Max Itzikovitz." --Book Jacket.

Mary Slusser's work on the history of the art and culture of Nepal is marked by a series of discoveries and critical reassessments that have advanced our comprehension of this extraordinarily rich culture and art in a revolutionary way. In The Antiquity of Nepalese Wood Carving, Dr. Slusser drastically revises our perception of the marvelous wooden sculpture of the Kathmandu Valley.--Previously considered to be no earlier than the thirteenth century, the earliest of these wooden masterpieces have now been clearly demonstrated to date from the sixth or seventh century, the time of the Licchavis, lords of Nepal from about 300 to 850. Slusser has used an important scientific tool, radiocarbon dating, to help realign -- and correct -- our overly conservative accepted perceptions of the antiquity of Nepalese wood sculpture. The book is bolstered by the meticulous and painstaking research and documentation that are among the hallmarks of Slusser's works. It is also enriched by her extraordinary photographic archive. Beautiful struts and architectural details that have long been missing from the sites where Slusser first saw them are shown once again in situ in this work, and new photographs, largely the work of Neil Greentree, reveal a wealth of previously unsuspected detail. Also included is an essay by Paul Jett that is both a brief explanation of the science of radiocarbon testing and a validation of the revised dating of Nepalese wood carving proposed in the study.--Mary Shepherd Slusser is the author of an authoritative history of the culture of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal Mandala. --Paul Jett is director of conservation and scientific research at the Freer/Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.-

- There are few books on this subject - Features stunning photographs Thirty-four places of worship (temples, monasteries, and shrines) were carved out of the rock between the fifth and tenth centuries over an area of around two square kilometres. All the sculpture at the site is testimony to the superb skill and sheer determination of the workforce involved, as well as being evidence of the religious harmony of the time. The monuments include all sorts of architectural and decorative features that display the utmost splendor and inventiveness: columns, staircases, reliefs, stuccos, and even surviving patches of painted decoration. In the past, the extraordinary work at the site has unfortunately been eclipsed by the exceptional nature of its surroundings. The architecture and sculpture are often immersed in darkness and this has made it impossible to create the kind of photographic record that would give their stunning quality the visibility it deserves. But now Iago Corazza, with his ultra-sensitive photographic equipment, is able at last to give lovers of Indian art and enthusiasts the chance to fully appreciate this wonderful, indeed unique, group of rock-cut temples. The task of explaining the meaning and significance of these works as they emerge from the dark is entrusted to the expertise of Gilles Béguin. Following the success of Khajuraho, readers have the chance to explore another treasure of Indian art accompanied by a distinguished guide, with the benefit of photos that at last do their marvelous subjects full justice.

The Great Heritage: Himalayan art through the eyes of art dealers Chino Roncoroni and Iwona Tenzing.The authors offer their insights on the artistic origins and styles of Himalayan art and its historical context, but rather than a standard scholarly approach, the book provides a direct visual learning experience. It includes a dazzling catalog of full-page color photographs of more than 200 items. The pieces in the catalog include manuscripts; paintings; bronze, stone, and wood sculptures; ritual implements; and textiles. They date from the 6th through the 15th centuries and represent the early Kashmiri Buddhist period, Pala India, the Licchavi Nepali era, and the Newari and Kathmandu Valley schools in Tibet.The items presented are the best examples of each school that the authors have come across in their decades of experience. All are currently in either the collections of international museums or prestigious private collections.

Award-winning photographer Kevin Bubriski captures in stunning detail the sacred places of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. Noted scholar Keith Dowman provides history and commentary on the significance of the sites.