Rice goddess
19. Jhdt. | S.M. Corvette Aurora
The Thai rice goddess "Mae Posop" can be identified by the ears of rice in her hand. In Southeast Asia, the rice plant and its fruits are seen as the material manifestation of something living and sacred. This belief is part of the very old world view that the individual elements of nature have a living soul that can exist outside of a physical form. Rice has a soul and it feeds people like a mother feeds her children. Hence, the rice soul is deemed a rice mother. Since rice is the central basis of life for people in Asia, the rice soul has the rank of a goddess. The life cycle and fertility of the rice plants are equated with the life cycle and fertility of the rice goddess. It is for this reason that people hold pregnancy rituals for the rice goddess when the rice plants are in bloom.
The Thai rice goddess "Mae Posop" can be identified by the ears of rice in her hand. In Southeast Asia, the rice plant and its fruits are seen as the material manifestation of something living and sacred. This belief is part of the very old world view that the individual elements of nature have a living soul that can exist outside of a physical form. Rice has a soul and it feeds people like a mother feeds her children. Hence, the rice soul is deemed a rice mother. Since rice is the central basis of life for people in Asia, the rice soul has the rank of a goddess. The life cycle and fertility of the rice plants are equated with the life cycle and fertility of the rice goddess. It is for this reason that people hold pregnancy rituals for the rice goddess when the rice plants are in bloom.
Collector:
S.M. Corvette Aurora (1872 - 1920) DNB
Collector:
k.u.k. Kriegsmarine, Pola
Time:
19. Jhdt.
Entry Date:
1896
Object Name
Rice goddess
Culture
Thailand
Material/technology:
Bronzeguss
Copyright
Weltmuseum Wien
Collection area
South Asia, Southeast Asia, Himalayas
Geography
Südostasien/Festland/Thailand/Ayutthaya
Invs.
56761
