{"id":{"repo_id":"anu","oai_identifier":"oai:openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au:1885/144323"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/anu/oai:openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au:1885/144323","repository":{"repo_id":"anu","name":"Australian National University","base_url":"https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Hidden in Plain Sight: the Nat Images of Myanmar","abstract":"Supernatural beings known as ‘nats’ are widely represented in Myanmar art. Until now they have been a neglected area of research, overshadowed by an academic focus on the country’s Buddhist art and architecture. The research for this thesis analyses why the nats are depicted in particular ways, how this has changed over the centuries, and why they are placed in certain contexts. Close examination of primary sources highlights the disconnect between Western and local understanding of the different kinds of nat and their role in Myanmar culture. Clarification of the different typologies of nat is a crucial part of the research. The findings presented highlight the limitations of the resources currently available on the nats, and dispel the misconceptions and ambiguity around the different types. This is particularly important in relation to the pantheon generically known as the ‘Thirty-Seven Nats’. For the first time, a formal art historical analysis of the imagery of Myanmar’s nats is provided. Images of the nats are examined in light of their different typologies, to identify the iconography used in their creation. An analysis of the stylistic development of nat imagery from the 11th century is established for the main media used in their artistic representations. It is argued that the different typologies of the nats reflect their fundamental role as guardians spirits of very different physical and conceptual spaces. Art is used to frame this narrative, and as nats have been made in such a wide variety of media and across all time periods, their imagery reflects how devotees have interacted with their temporal and spiritual worlds throughout history.","abstract_html":"Supernatural beings known as ‘nats’ are widely represented in Myanmar art. Until now they have been a neglected area of research, overshadowed by an academic focus on the country’s Buddhist art and architecture. The research for this thesis analyses why the nats are depicted in particular ways, how this has changed over the centuries, and why they are placed in certain contexts. Close examination of primary sources highlights the disconnect between Western and local understanding of the different kinds of nat and their role in Myanmar culture. Clarification of the different typologies of nat is a crucial part of the research. The findings presented highlight the limitations of the resources currently available on the nats, and dispel the misconceptions and ambiguity around the different types. This is particularly important in relation to the pantheon generically known as the ‘Thirty-Seven Nats’. For the first time, a formal art historical analysis of the imagery of Myanmar’s nats is provided. Images of the nats are examined in light of their different typologies, to identify the iconography used in their creation. An analysis of the stylistic development of nat imagery from the 11th century is established for the main media used in their artistic representations. It is argued that the different typologies of the nats reflect their fundamental role as guardians spirits of very different physical and conceptual spaces. Art is used to frame this narrative, and as nats have been made in such a wide variety of media and across all time periods, their imagery reflects how devotees have interacted with their temporal and spiritual worlds throughout history.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bamford, Sally Jane"],"institution":"Canberra, ACT : The Australian National University","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017","date_published":"2017","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:55:04Z","subjects":["nat","nats","images","Myanmar","Burma","art","art history"],"languages":["en_AU"],"rights":["Author retains copyright"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["b53507216"],"render_values":[{"text":"b53507216","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1885/144323","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bamford, Sally Jane"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2018-06-14T00:45:35Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-06-14T00:45:35Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2017"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Canberra, ACT : The Australian National University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["nat","nats","images","Myanmar","Burma","art","art history"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_AU"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Author retains copyright"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["b53507216"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1885/144323"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Supernatural beings known as ‘nats’ are widely represented in Myanmar art. Until now they have been a neglected area of research, overshadowed by an academic focus on the country’s Buddhist art and architecture. The research for this thesis analyses why the nats are depicted in particular ways, how this has changed over the centuries, and why they are placed in certain contexts. Close examination of primary sources highlights the disconnect between Western and local understanding of the different kinds of nat and their role in Myanmar culture. Clarification of the different typologies of nat is a crucial part of the research. The findings presented highlight the limitations of the resources currently available on the nats, and dispel the misconceptions and ambiguity around the different types. This is particularly important in relation to the pantheon generically known as the ‘Thirty-Seven Nats’. For the first time, a formal art historical analysis of the imagery of Myanmar’s nats is provided. Images of the nats are examined in light of their different typologies, to identify the iconography used in their creation. An analysis of the stylistic development of nat imagery from the 11th century is established for the main media used in their artistic representations. It is argued that the different typologies of the nats reflect their fundamental role as guardians spirits of very different physical and conceptual spaces. Art is used to frame this narrative, and as nats have been made in such a wide variety of media and across all time periods, their imagery reflects how devotees have interacted with their temporal and spiritual worlds throughout history."]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Hidden in Plain Sight: the Nat Images of Myanmar"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Bamford, Sally Jane"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-06-14T00:45:35Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-06-14T00:45:35Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2017"],"dc:description.abstract":["Supernatural beings known as ‘nats’ are widely represented in Myanmar art. Until now they have been a neglected area of research, overshadowed by an academic focus on the country’s Buddhist art and architecture. The research for this thesis analyses why the nats are depicted in particular ways, how this has changed over the centuries, and why they are placed in certain contexts. Close examination of primary sources highlights the disconnect between Western and local understanding of the different kinds of nat and their role in Myanmar culture. Clarification of the different typologies of nat is a crucial part of the research. The findings presented highlight the limitations of the resources currently available on the nats, and dispel the misconceptions and ambiguity around the different types. This is particularly important in relation to the pantheon generically known as the ‘Thirty-Seven Nats’. For the first time, a formal art historical analysis of the imagery of Myanmar’s nats is provided. Images of the nats are examined in light of their different typologies, to identify the iconography used in their creation. An analysis of the stylistic development of nat imagery from the 11th century is established for the main media used in their artistic representations. It is argued that the different typologies of the nats reflect their fundamental role as guardians spirits of very different physical and conceptual spaces. Art is used to frame this narrative, and as nats have been made in such a wide variety of media and across all time periods, their imagery reflects how devotees have interacted with their temporal and spiritual worlds throughout history."],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.other":["b53507216"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1885/144323"],"dc:language.iso":["en_AU"],"dc:publisher":["Canberra, ACT : The Australian National University"],"dc:rights":["Author retains copyright"],"dc:subject":["nat","nats","images","Myanmar","Burma","art","art history"],"dc:title":["Hidden in Plain Sight: the Nat Images of Myanmar"],"dc:type":["Thesis (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:55:04Z"}