29 April 2004, Asianart.com
The art of Tibet reaches deep into prehistory. Before the advent of Buddhism in the 7th century A.D., metalworking, painting and carving on stone were already well developed and had assumed a fair degree of refinement. This artistic heritage reflects the sophisticated cultural and religious life of the early Tibetans. Extant examples of this ancient art closely correspond with the rich tapestry of beliefs, traditions and myths set in the pre-Buddhist period, as revealed in later historical accounts and the oral tradition. The representations, narratives and way of life presented in this visual tableau serve to illustrate in broad strokes the character and form of pre-Buddhist civilization in Tibet. There is no more illustrative an indication of early civilization on the Tibetan Plateau than this art.

© John Vincent Bellezza
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