rahotsu　螺髪

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

Spiral shaped curls of hair, like snail-shells, on the head of a *nyorai 如来 Buddha statue. Rahotsu is a symbol of enlightenment, and was first seen in the 2c AD on Mathura Buddhas in North Central India. By the 5c it was an established feature of Buddha figures. In Japan, rahotsu was used on some gilt-bronze statues of the Hakuhou period, such as the Amida nyoraizou 阿弥陀如来像 in Houryuuji Houzouden 法隆寺宝蔵殿, Nara, which has large, flat, clearly delineated spirals. It was important in wooden sculptures of the 8-9c, where the curls were large and had pointed tips, as on the standing Yakushi nyoraizou 薬師如来像 (9c) in Jingoji 神護寺, Kyoto. From the 10c, smaller round curls were common, such as those on the seated Amida nyoraizou in Houkaiji 法界寺, Kyoto. In the Kamakura period, larger flat rahotsu came back into fashion. When spiral-curls were carved from the same piece of wood as the main statue,they were known as kiritsuke rahotsu 切付け螺髪. When separate pieces of wood were carved and attached to the head, the curls were called uetsuke rahotsu 植付螺髪.

REFERENCES:

*byakugou 白毫

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