Peter Ankers samling på Nationalmuseet: Et fælles dansk-indisk projekt

Projekt ved Dr. R. Nagaswamy, Tamil Arts Academy, og Bente Wolff, Nationalmuseet.

  • Projektet er finansieret af Bikuben fonden og har plads på Galathea3 ekspeditionen. 

Målet med dette projekt er at invitere en indisk specialist i sydindiske tempel-bronzestatuer til Danmark, for at producere et kommenteret katalog over samlingen af tempeludstyr som blev fundet og udgravet i Tranquebar i 1799. Den indiske gæsteforskers historisk-stilistiske analyse vil blive suppleret af  arkæometriske analyser, udført af en specialist fra den danske konservatorskole eller Nationalmuseet.

Samlingen består af 14 bronzefigurer og 10 stykker tempeludstyr. I 1808 bragte den norsk-danske guvernør Peter Anker, bronzestatuerne til Norge hvorfra de blev købt i 1843 af den etnografiske samling på det der senere blev til Nationalmuseet.

  

Den dansende Shiva

Bronzefigur fra Peter Ankers samling, fundet i Tranquebar i 1799. Stammer antageligt fra Chola dynastiet, 1100.




The Peter Anker collection at the Danish National Museum: A joint Indo-Danish project

Project by Dr. R. Nagaswamy, Tamil Arts Academy, and Bente Wolff, National Museum of Denmark

  • The project is financed by Bikuben Foundation and is part of the galathea3 expedition.

The aim of this project is to invite an Indian specialist on South Indian temple bronzes to Denmark to produce an annotated catalogue of the collection of 24 temple bronzes found and excavated in Tranquebar in 1799. The historic-stylistic analysis of the Indian guest researcher will be supplemented by archaeometric analysis carried out by a Danish specialist from the School of Conservation or the National Museum.

The Collection consists of 14 figures and 10 pieces of temple equipment. In 1808 the Norwegian governor to Denmark, Peter Anker, brought the bronzes to Norway, from where they were purchased in 1843 for the Ethnographic Collection of what later became the National Museum of Denmark.

   

Den dansende Shiva

One of the Peter Anker tempelbronzes,  portraying the dancing Shiva.

Found in Tranquebar in 1799. Is most likely to be from the Chola dynasti, 1100.




Dr. R. Nagaswamy

Ramachandran Nagaswamy, Dr. (b.1930) obtained Masters degree in Sanskrit language and literature (Madras) and Ph.D. in Indian Arts (Poona).

 

His Fields of specialization are: Art, Archaeology, Architecture, Literature, Epigraphy, Paleography, Numismatics, Temple rituals and philosophy, Ancient law and society, Music, Dance and South Asian Art.
Dr.R.N. served as Curator for Art and Archaeology, Madras Museum (1959-63) and later joined the Tamilnadu State Department of Archaeology as Assistant Special Officer (1963-65) and became the First Director of Archaeology of the State and held that post till retirement (1966-88). After retirement he headed the Epigraphy Program, EFEO Pondichery, and as Consultant, Government of India, Documentation of Cultural property Tanjavur Brahadisvara Project (UNDP program), under the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts .
Dr.R.N made Archaeology a very popular subject in Tamilnadu, especially among Children through publication of Pocket book guides. He was also responsible for involving several thousand School and College students in cleaning and preserving near by historical places and monuments. He also popularized monuments by bringing out popular guides in the form of News-paper, priced at ten paise per copy.
He was responsible for protecting several historic monuments like the First cent. Chera inscriptions at Pugalur, the Palace site of the the Imperial Cholas at Gangai-konda-cholapuram, the famous 17th cent Thirumalai Nayak palace at Madurai, the 17th cent, Danish Fort at Tranquebar, and the birth place of Great National Poet Subramanya Bharati at Ettayyapuram besides excavating the palace site of Virapandya-kattabomman at Pancalamkurchi.
 
Dr.R.N. piloted and directed the Sound and Light ("Son En Luminaire") program in the 17th cent. Thirumalai Nayak palace at Madurai. Nagaswamy was the first to carry out Under Sea Archaeological Survey off the Coast of Pumpuhar in Tamil nad.
 
An acknowledged International Expert on South Indian Bronzes, RN appeared as an Expert Witness in the London High Court, in the now famous London Nataraja case. The Judge of the London High Court, in his Judgement described Dr.Nagaswamy as an unequalled expert in his subject.
He was mainly instrumental in developing the State department of archaeology in all aspects of Archaeological activity and started as many as 12 regional museums including a Prehistoric museum at Poondi, and Islamic museum at North Arcot besides a number of District museums and site museums. He started an Institute of Epigraphy under the Tamilnadu State Department of Archaeology to train students in post-graduate diploma in Epigraphy and Art.
 
Dr.R.N undertook to popularize Art and Archeology through Dance and Music at archaeological sites and monuments as at Gangai-konda-cholapuram, Madurai, Darasuram and so on. He composed several dance dramas on historic themes like the life of Rajaraja chola, Rajendra chola, Manimekhalai, Arunagirinathar, Appar and others, and presented them in different parts of India and also in foreign countries like Germany, Sweden, U.K, Canada and USA.
 
It was Dr.R.Nagaswamy who started and founded the now world famous Chidambaram Natyanjali Festival, 24 years ago with Kapila Vatsyayana and continues to serve as its Founder secretary.
He has organized several exhibitions including the one at Kualalampur during the first world Tamil Conference in 1965 and the special exhibition on South Indian Bronzes at the National Museum, New Delhi in 1983, during the Non-Aligned Summit meet.
 
RN has organized several District, State, National and International Seminars including the International Conference on Arts and Religion at Chidambaram in 2001. The proceedings of the last has been edited by RN and published under the title "Foundations of Indian Arts". He has published under the State Department, more than 120 books including monographs, texts of inscriptions, translations, and guides in Tamil and English.
 
Many important Excavations at places like Karur, Alagankulam, Korkai, Gangaikonda-cholapuram, were conducted by him.
 
Nagaswamy has been honoured by various organisation for his contribution to Tamil Archaeology, among which the award of Kalaimamani by the Government of Tamilnadu deserves special mention.
A keen researcher and an Internationally acknowledged Art Historian and scholar, RN has published several books including "Master pieces of South Indian Bronzes", "Siva Bhakti", Tantric Cult in Tamilnadu, "Uttaramerur" in French with Dr.Francoise Gros (1970) and "Facets of South Indian Art and Architecture".Dr.R.nagaswamy is an eloquent speaker and has given frequently talks in Radios and Television including in BBC.
  

Nagaswamy.jpg


Bente Wolff (dansk)

Bente Wolff, født 1964, Danmark. PhD i Antropologi ved Københavns Universitet 1999

Seniorforsker, museumsinspektør for Insular Sydøstasien, Sydasien, Oceanien ved Etnografisk Samling, Nationalmuseet. (1999-)

Sprog:                Engelsk, Indonesisk, Tysk

Feltarbejde, Arkivforskning, Studierejser

Feltarbejde på øen Nias i Indonesien, sammenlagt ca. 1,5 år, inkl. PhD.-studium. Financ. Kulturministeriet, Forskerakademiet og Nationalmuseet. Fokus: kulturmøde, historie og materiel kultur i et turistområde. (inkl. sprogstudier ved University of North Sumatra) (1995-2004). Planlagt studie af tsunami-effekter vinter 2005.

12 mdrs. feltarbejde i forb. med speciale til magisterkonferens hos mekeo-folket i Papua Ny Guinea. Generelt antropologisk studium fokuseret på kulturel kosmologi, forbrugsstrategier og engagement i den nationale markedsøkonomi. Financieret af Rådet for U-landsforskning, Danida i forb. m. Phd.-projekt for Steen Bergendorff (1991-92).

7 mdrs. intensive feltstudier og genstandsindsamling i Solomon Islands i over 50 landsbyer i 6 provinser. Praktik for Solomon Islands’ Nationalmuseum og turistmyndighed i forb. m. EU’s regionale program for turismeplanlægning. Sm. m. Gitte Engholm (1988).

Kortere studierejser i Fiji, Vanuatu, Australien, Indonesien (Java, Bali, Sumatra), Malaysia, Indien (Tranquebar og Calcutta) (1988-2004).

Arkivstudier i Rom, Leiden, Haag og London vedr. koloni- og missionsarkivalier fra Papua Ny Guinea og Indonesien (1992-1999).

Undervisning, Foredrag, Konferencedeltagelse

Diverse forelæsninger ved Københavns Universitet (Institut for Antropologi, Asiensstudier), Skandinavisk Sommeruniversitet for etnologer, Kunstakademiets Konservatorskole.

Diverse foredrag på højskoler, indslag i DR-TV, TV-Danmark, DR-radio P1 om konsumption, kulturel identitet og kropsforståelse i den vestlige verden, Indonesien og Papua Ny Guinea. Omvisninger og foredrag på Nationalmuseet + oplæring af omvisere. (1995-).

Oplægsholder / inviteret taler ved div. internationale forskerkonferencer og seminarer vedr. Oceanien og Sydøstasien (1996-).

Div. kurser om Oceaniens og Indonesiens kulturer ved Folkeuniversitetet, København. (1992-2000).

Underviser ved Institut for Antropologi, Københavns Universitet: 1. Kursus om Kommunikation og formidling (1995) 2. Kursus om materiel kultur og konsumption (1998)

Omviser ved Nationalmuseet (Oceanien, Indonesien, Indien, Afrika, div. særudstillinger, Om Nationalmuseet mm.) (1992-95).

Særudstillinger på Nationalmuseet

- Shakti - Gud er en kvinde. I samarb. m. billedkunstner Morten Skriver, fotograf Dev Nayak og antropolog Aditi Nath Sarkar. Støtte fra Center for Kultursamarbejde med Udviklingslandene, Danida, Maersk India (2003-4).

- Verdensspejl. Etnografisk Samlings jubilæumsudstilling. BW: udstillingstekster og UV-hæfte. (1999-2000).

- Filippinsk Jul. I samarb. med den filippinske forening i Danmark, (1999-2000).

Bestyrelsesarb.  censorvirksomhed, konferenceorganisering mm.

- Bestyrelsesmedlem (pt. formand) Dansk Etnografisk Forening (2000- ).

- Bestyrelsesmedlem the European Society for Oceanists (1997-2005).

- Censor v. Kbh.s Universitet (2000-) og Danmarks Designskole (2005-), formand f. seniorforskervurdering (2005).

- Danida-resourceperson på socio-kulturelle forhold i Papua Ny Guinea, Indonesien, Salomonøerne (1994-)         

- Hoved- og medarrangør af div. konferencer i The European Society for Oceanists (København 1996, Leiden 1999, Wien 2002, Marseille 2005) + andre konferencer og symposier.

Publikationsliste for Bente Wolff

2005              Disco, Dog’s Teeth and Women in Uniforms: Modern Mekeo dress codes. In G. Were and S. Kuechler: The Art of Clothing. UCL Press.

2003              Kom til mit hus og bliv der! Huse, deres ejere og gæster på øen Nias i Indonesien. National­museets Arbejdsmark.

2003              Shakti - Gud er en Kvinde. Undervisningshæfte til udstillingen af samme navn. Med Aditi Nath Sarkar og Morten Skriver (BW hovedforfatter). Nationalmuseet.

2003              Volleyball, diskodans og hundetænder. Importvarernes lokale betydning blandt mekeoerne i Papua Ny Guinea. Arkæologisk Forum nr. 8.

2002              Money Is Not For Buying Food, Money Is For Buying Things. Modernity and consumption the Mekeo way. Folk 2002.

2001              At stjæle gæstens hjerte. Turismens lokale logik på øen Nias i Indonesien. Den Nye Verden 34, 4.

2000              Verdensspejl - etnografiske samlinger i 150 år. Undervisningshæfte til udstillingen “Verdensspejl”. Med K.-J. Hemmersam (BW hovedforfatter).

2000              Penge, svin og kulørte lamper: Globalt forbrug i traditionens tjeneste. Kontakt nr. 3 og  http://www.ms.dk/kontakt/3_00/penge.htm

2000              Surfing på forfædrenes bølger: Turismens autentiticet på Nias, Indonesien. Jordens Folk 35:4, pp. 3-13.

1999              Et Liv med Etnografi. (biografisk artikel om Etnografen Inger Wulff). Medforf. Hans Christian Gulløv. Nyt fra Nationalmuseet.

1999              Maden og Giften: To sider af samme sag. Et eksempel fra Nias, Indonesien. Tidsskriftet Antropologi.

1999              PhD dissertation: Extending the Self: Otherness in Cosmology and Consumption in a Nias Tourism Area. Institut for Antropologi, Københavns Universitet.

1997              Paradokserne der blev væk: Materiel Kultur i tværkulturel belysning Jordens Folk 32:1.

1996-2000      Div. opslag om Oceaniens kunst i Den Danske Nationalencyklopædi.

1995              MA-dissertation: Kæmpen, Slangen og Brudens Hvide Hud. En semantisk analyse af myter fra mekeoerne i Papua Ny Guinea                                                                

1995              Missing Paradoxes and the Evidential Nature of Things: Material Objects in a cross-cultural perspective. Nordisk Museologi nr. 2

1992              Hvad sker der med de døde? Døden hos mekeo i Papua Ny Guinea. Jordens Folk 27:2.

1990              Buddhas Smil. Fremmede ting til danske hjem. Stofskifte 21-22. Medforf. G. Engholm.

1989              Improvement to the Handicraft Production as Part of Tourism Development in Solomon Islands. Rapport (180 sider) til Salomonøernes Nationalmuseum og turistmyndighed. Medforf. G. Engholm.


Bente Wolff (english)

Bente Wolff (female)

Born 1964, Denmark

1999- Senior researcher and curator for insular Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania at the Ethnographic Collection at the National Museum of Denmark.

 

Education

1999: PhD in cultural anthropology, Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen and The National Museum of Denmark. Dissertation: Extending the Self: Otherness in Cosmology and Consumption in a Nias Tourism Area.

1995: Degree in tourism economy at Magistrenes Efteruddannelse. Preparation for Ph.D. project in Indonesia.

1995: MA in cultural anthropology, Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen.

 

Fieldwork

1995-1997: 12 months’ fieldwork for PhD. in Indonesia (incl. language training). The study was focused on the local organisation and understanding of tourism, modernity and tradition on Nias island, Indonesia. Co-sponsored by the Danish Ministry of Culture, Research Academy and National Museum.

1991-92: 12 months fieldwork (for MA) with the Mekeo in Papua New Guinea together with Steen Bergendorff. The study was a general anthropological socio-cultural study focused on Mekeo involvement in the national market economy, consumption and cosmology. Sponsored by the Danish Council for Development Research.

1988: 7 months internship with the National Museum and Tourist Authorities of Solomon Islands. The project was part of the EU’s regional tourism planning program. The aim was to assess the actual and potential size and quality of the local handicrafts production and included intensive field studies in more than 50 villages in 6 provinces. Sponsored by the International Office at University of Copenhagen.