An ox cart ornament

Media: wood carving with pigment
Cat no: OXPLTW005
Origin: Northern Burma
Age: Late 19th -early 20th c
Measurement (WxDxH): 19x2.75x16"

Used to decorate the ox carts that were widely used in old Burma, the carving depicts two characters in the India epic Ramayana, known in Burma as Yama Zatdaw. One character riding the horse is likely to be Rama (Yama in Brumese). In the epic, Yama courageously went on a long journey to rescue his wife who was abducted by the demon king Ravana (Datthigiri in Burmese).