John N. Miksic – författare

"This is simply the best book ever written on the single largest Buddhist monument in the world" —Patricia Welch, author and lecturer on Asian artBorobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the world—a masterpiece containing thousands of intricately carved panels and sculptures blending Indian art with local Javanese culture. The panels retell the lives of the Buddhas along with dozens of other tales of worldly desire and the heroics feats of enlightened beings. After viewing these, visitors ascend to open terraces at the top to enjoy majestic vistas of the surrounding landscape—an experience designed to evoke the eternal bliss of Buddhist nirvana.This book presents a detailed history of the monument as well as a description of its art and design. Author John Miksic recounts Borobudur's history from its construction in the 9th century to its rediscovery in the 19th century and multiple restorations by the Dutch colonial government, the Indonesian Government and UNESCO in the 20th century. Surveying ancient Javanese texts and contemporary scholarship, Miksic walks us through the temples main features, honing in on important details. The book includes chapters on:History and Archaeology — How Buddhism came to Indonesia, the monument's history and construction, and what it tells us about ancient Javanese societyArchitecture and Symbolism — The unique design of the monument and how it was used in ancient timesThe Reliefs — The fables and stories beautifully told in hundreds of artfully-carved panels lining Borobudur's lower terraces, including the Jataka tales, the Life of Gautama Buddha and the Gandavyuha taleBorobudur: Masterpiece in Stone is sure to be treasured by anyone intending to visit Borobudur as well as all those with an interest in Buddhist art and history.

Anyone who has seen the stunning ruins at Angkor, Bagan, and Barabudur will readily understand why Southeast Asia is the host of so many United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization World Heritage Sites. As beautiful as the spiraling towers, intricate carvings, and delicate bas-reliefs adorning these monuments are, however, they just barely scratch the surface of the immense historical and cultural heritage of the region.Covering the countries of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam during the period from the first to the fifteenth century, The A to Z of Ancient Southeast Asia helps us comprehend the vast and complex history of the region through a chronology, a glossary, a bibliography, an introduction, appendixes, maps, photographs, diagrams, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on the major (and many minor) sites, the more significant historical figures, the kingdoms they ruled over, the economic and social relations between them, and the artistic, cultural, and religious context.

Presenting both the need for – and difficulty of – introducing effective cultural resource management (CRM) in the region, ‘Rethinking Cultural Resource Management’ in Southeast Asia explores the challenges facing efforts to protect Southeast Asia’s indigenous cultures and archaeological sites from the ravages of tourism and economic development. Recognising the inapplicability of Euro-American solutions to this part of the world, the essays of this volume investigate their own set of region-specific CRM strategies, and acknowledge both the necessity and possibility of mediating between the conflicting interests of short-term profitability and long-term sustainability.