|
|
|
Carving Materials
The material for stone-carving is a soft, ashy, light gray volcanic sandstone (paras) quarried from the banks of river. When freshly dug from the river and still soft, it's roughly cut and shaped with adzes, then transported to the temple site. At first as malleable as plastic, the stone grows harder, more durable and darker with time. The extreme softness of 'new' paras, which feels almost like dried mud, accounts for the over-lavish adornment of Balinese art in stone. These flaming motifs combined with the Balinese love of loud color give some of their temples the appearance of a carnival ride. The most outrageously painted temples in northern Bali are in the villages of Jagaraga, Bebetin, and Ringdikit. In the north, sandstone is more durable than in the south, and thus temple sculpture is considerably more flamboyant. Eaten away by rain and weathering, the soft volcanic tuff of southern Bali requires carvings be replaced or refurbished at least every five years. Statues only a decade old may appear to date from the Majapahit invasion. To see a paras quarry, where rock is cut from cliffs with long knives, visit Blayu and Kukuh on the way to Marga. Climb down the hill from the stacks of paras water filters, cornerstones, and blocks on the road. |
|
| Copyright © 2002, Bali-Island.com Indonesia |