Dewi Tara Sculpture

Sumatra, 10th Century

Marine Heritage Gallery, Jakarta

This statue of the Buddhist Goddess Tara was discovered in a shipwreck off the northern coast of Cirebon, West Java. The eponymous Cirebon shipwreck, lying at a depth of some 50 metres, contained approximately 250,000 objects including ceramics, gold, silver, and precious stones. The site is one of the most important for understanding maritime trade in the region from the 10th century.

Findings from this site offer strong evidence of extensive trade routes connecting the Srivijaya maritime empire with other royal courts in Java, Sumatra, and southern Thailand. The statue of Dewi Tara may have originated from the Srivijaya empire in Sumatra. The iconography of this statue reflects the Śyailendra-style, resembling that of the Avalokiteshvara Buddha statue at Mendut Temple in Central Java, and of a large bronze Tara statue, now lost, from the Kalasan Temple, also in Central Java.

Of the more than 250,000 objects in the Cirebon shipwreck’s cargo, this is the only statue, meaning it is unlikely to be a trade commodity. As Dewi Tara is worshipped as the Goddess of Salvation, symbolising the protector of navigation, it is possible this statue was owned by a crew member for good luck.