This carved wood sculpture depicts Hanuman holding a detachable sword. The piece is decorated with gilded lacquerwork with inlaid glass. The painted longyi or skirtwrap has motifs that are reminiscent of imported Indian patolu cloths.The figure is one of the key characters in the Hindu-Buddhist epic Ramayana, which was transmitted to Southeast Asia from India since ancient times. In Myanmar, the Buddhist version of the story predominated and was probably derived from the Dasaratha Jataka, which originated in India. In the Rama-thingyan, a much later Burmese version of the Ramayana, Hanuman fights both forest and city ogres. This is depicted in the Burmese marionette and other performing arts traditions.
