Ivory Door Frame
The frame of the door that paved the way to enter the chamber where the ornaments of God have been stored had been made of ivory. This door frame of Rideevihāra is one of the largest and most
spectacular ivory carvings to have survived in this century. It represents the culmination of a golden age in Kandyan art.
Very rarely we find doorframes and doors made of ivory. These doorframes and the door found here is valued to be the highest in Sri Lanka. It had been completely finished with ivory. Ivory has long been a rare and costly material. Elephant tusks were greatly valued and they were the special preserve of the king, the nobles and the great Vihāras and Devalas. Hoarded in the storerooms and treasuries of the great prelates and the aristocracy they were reserved only for the most important and ceremonial functions. Thus, the ivory sculpture at Rideevihāra represents an endowment of great cost and significance. Work of this quality and richness could only have been the resul...
spectacular ivory carvings to have survived in this century. It represents the culmination of a golden age in Kandyan art.
Very rarely we find doorframes and doors made of ivory. These doorframes and the door found here is valued to be the highest in Sri Lanka. It had been completely finished with ivory. Ivory has long been a rare and costly material. Elephant tusks were greatly valued and they were the special preserve of the king, the nobles and the great Vihāras and Devalas. Hoarded in the storerooms and treasuries of the great prelates and the aristocracy they were reserved only for the most important and ceremonial functions. Thus, the ivory sculpture at Rideevihāra represents an endowment of great cost and significance. Work of this quality and richness could only have been the resul...
