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CRCAO member - TBACT Team

Andolfatto David C.

Heidelberg Universität

Presentation

I studied Asian archaeology at Marc Bloch University, Strasbourg (BA) and at Paris Sorbonne University (MA). My Master’s research focused on the relation between iconography and architecture in the context of Newar Buddhist monasteries (Kathmandu Valley). From 2009 I worked as a consultant for various heritage preservation projects in Nepal. Following the 2015 earthquakes, I worked as a consultant for the UNESCO Kathmandu Office from 2015 to 2018. During this period, I had the opportunity of leading archaeological excavations on heritage sites and coordinated different post-earthquakes projects.

In parallel I conducted my PhD research on the archaeology of West Nepal (The Country of the Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand Mountains. Archaeological Study of the Karnali Basin (Nepal) between the 12th and 16th century, defended in 2019). This led me to document historical sites and artefacts in a largely overlooked part of the country. The publication of the dissertation is currently underway.

My current work includes archaeometric analyses of tsha tshas, Himalayan heritage inventories and research on the archaeology of Himalayan shamanism and mediumnism.

Research thematics

  • Material cultures and epigraphy: archaeology and history of the central Himalayas (10th-17th century)
  • Archaeology of Himalayan mediumnism
  • Contributions of archaeometric investigation methods for the study of the contexts of manufacture and deposit of tsha tshas
  • Population movements: trans-Himalayan dynamics and migration routes
  • Digital corpus: archaeological inventory and data accessibility
  • History and iconography of religious practices in the Himalayas, interactions between the Tibetan, Nepalese and Indian worlds

CRCAO research programmes

External research programmes

Publications (HAL Archive Ouverte)

  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Ripu Malla, a Buddhist Emperor from Western Nepal. Orientations -Hong Kong-, 2021, 52 (3), pp.69-76. ⟨hal-03955425⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Les temples deval de la Karnali : réflexions sur leur datation et leur vocation. Arts Asiatiques, 2021, 76, pp.31-46. ⟨hal-03900956⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Recent publications on central Himalayan arts and architecture: a review essay. European Bulletin of Himalayan Research, 2020, 55, pp.80 - 99. ⟨10.4000/ebhr.247⟩. ⟨hal-03900941⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya. The Archaeological Excavation of a 19th Century Tashi Gomang Stūpa in Svayambhū, Nepal. Guest Lecture, Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Kathmandu University, Centre for Buddhist Studies, Nov 2023, Kathmandu, Nepal. ⟨halshs-04323293⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The tsha tsha and the microscope. Archaeometric and ethno-archaeological study of Buddhist clay objects. Ritual and Materiality in Buddhism and Asian Religions, Princeton University, Jun 2023, Princeton, United States. ⟨halshs-04319657⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Far-away visitors of Buṅgadyaḥ. The Khaśa Mallas of west Nepal and Newar Buddhism. European Conference for South Asian Studies (ECSAS), The European Association for South Asian Studies, Jul 2023, Torino, Italy. ⟨halshs-04319653⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Hell on Earth. A Reassessment of Torture Scenes from Newari Struts. Heaven and Hell and What Lies Between: Representing the Afterlife from Central Asia to the Himalayas, Société Européene pour l’Etude des Civilisations de l’Himalaya et de l’Asie Centrale (SEECHAC, European Society for the Study of Central Asian and Himalayan Civilisations); University of Warsaw. The Faculty of Oriental Studies and The Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies, Nov 2023, Warsaw, Poland. ⟨halshs-04319649⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya. The archaeological excavation of a 19th Cen-tury Tashi Gomang Stūpa in Svayambhū, Nepal. 16th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS), Univerzita Karlova, Jul 2022, Prague, Czech Republic. ⟨hal-04005255⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto, Laura Weinstein. The Khaśa Malla metal statuary. A reassessment considering archaeological, religious and stylistic materials. 16th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS), Univerzita Karlova, Jul 2022, Prague, Czech Republic. ⟨hal-04005252⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Medieval architecture in west and far-west Nepal. New insights into its origins and developments from the 8th to the 17th century. International Conference on Sudurpaschim Studies: Heritage, Innovation and Transformation, DSD Project, Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Oxford University; Britain-Nepal Academic Council; Far Western University, Nepal (सुदूरपश्चिम विश्वविद्यालय, नेपाल), Dec 2022, Mahendranagar, Nepal. ⟨hal-03955448⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Maṅgal Bahudvāra Caitya. The archaeological excavation of a 19th Century Tashi Gomang Stūpa in Svayambhū, Nepal. Tibetan & Himalayan Studies Lecture Series, Institute for Asian and African Studies. Central Asian Seminar. Humboldt Universität zu Berlin., Nov 2022, Berlin, Germany. ⟨hal-04005246⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. A Volcano in the Himalayas. The Persian notes of a map of the Ganges and western Nepal from 1784. Interactions between Islamic and Indic societies in South and South-East Asia: Comparative perspectives, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Feb 2022, Marseille, France. ⟨hal-04005248⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Fire Temples of Dullu (West Nepal). Towards an Archaeology of the ‘Territory of the Flames’. Kucha and Beyond. Divine and Human Landscapes from Central Asia to the Himalayas, Universität Leipzig, Nov 2021, Leipzig, Germany. ⟨hal-04005250⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Au « Pays des Khaś ». Nouvelles données archéologiques sur l’art et l’histoire du Népal occidental. Conférences de la Société Européenne pour l’Étude des Civilisations de l’Himalaya et de l’Asie Centrale (SEECHAC), Société Européenne pour l’Étude des Civilisations de l’Himalaya et de l’Asie Centrale (SEECHAC), Nov 2019, Paris, France. ⟨hal-04005260⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Archéologie post-tremblements de terre à Svayambhu (Kathmandu, Népal). La recherche française au Népal : état des lieux et perspectives, Réseau Chercheurs Népal (RCN), May 2019, Inalco, Paris, France. ⟨hal-04005264⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Archaeology of Himalayan Mediumnism. New Material for the History of Shamanism in Nepal. Martin Chautari Seminar Series, Martin Chautari, Apr 2019, Katmandou, Nepal. ⟨hal-04005268⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The tradition of temples’ ornamentation in West Nepal. Images, semantic and ritual context in the Karnali region, from the 12th century to present. 5th SEECHAC Colloquium ‘The Image as Instrument and as Reflection of Ritual in Central Asia and the Himalaya: from Antiquity to the Present’, Università di Napoli “L’Orientale”, Nov 2018, Naples, Italy. ⟨hal-04005272⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Dance of the Dhāmis. Medieval Representations of Oracular Cults in West Nepal: Towards an Archaeology of Himalayan Mediumism?. Encounters with the Invisible Revisiting Possession in the Himalayas in its Material and Narrative Aspects, Marie Lecomte-Tilouine; Anne de Sales, Dec 2017, Marçay, France. ⟨hal-04005285⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The tunālas of Itum Bāhāh: Iconographic study in the context of a restoration program. Niels Gutschow; Thomas Schrom; Rohit Kumar Ranjitkar. Restoration of Itumbāhā, RICH Publishers, pp.142-157, 2023, 978-9937-1-3637-2. ⟨halshs-04199737⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto, Ludovic Dusuzeau, Pierre Gérard-Bendélé. Assessing and investigating Swayambhūnath after the “Gorkha Earthquake” of 2015. The Cultural Heritage of Nepal: Before, During and After the 2015 Earthquakes. Current and Future Challenges, 2018. ⟨hal-03901003⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Importance of Iconographic Studies for the Rehabilitation of Nepalese Heritage Monuments. The Cultural Heritage of Nepal: Before, During and After the 2015 Earthquakes. Current and Future Challenges, 2018. ⟨hal-03900994⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Preliminary remarks on some artefacts discovered in a 19 th century Newari stūpa. 2019. ⟨halshs-04438122⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Jagannāth Temple: Architecture and Iconography. UNESCO Office in Kathmandu. 2017. ⟨halshs-04190298⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Iconography of the Gopināth Temple.: A preliminary survey of the temple’s struts. UNESCO Office in Kathmandu. 2017. ⟨halshs-04190289⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Iconography of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa Temple.: A 19th century temple at the confluence of the Bāgmatī and Viṣṇumatī river. UNESCO Office in Kathmandu. 2017. ⟨halshs-04190302⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Agam of Bhelache Tole, Patan: A preliminary Report. UNESCO Office in Kathmandu. 2016. ⟨halshs-04190305⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Hanuman Dhoka’s Shiva Temple: Inventory of Terracotta Sculptures. UNESCO Office in Kathmandu. 2016. ⟨halshs-04190308⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Report on damages on heritage buildings of Sindhupalchok district, Chautara area. UNESCO Office in Kathmandu. 2015. ⟨halshs-04190319⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Mission Report on Dolakha: 27-29 August 2015. UNESCO Office in Kathmandu. 2015. ⟨halshs-04190312⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. The Art Collection of Keśchandra Museum. Oriental Cultural Heritage Sites Protection Alliance. 2015, pp.7-23. ⟨hal-03955430⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Moving the gods. The tunālas of Itum Bāhā (Kathmandu): Iconographic study in the context of a restoration program. Oriental Cultural Heritage Sites Protection Alliance. 2014, pp.7-34. ⟨hal-03955435⟩
  • David Cornélius Andolfatto. Le Pays aux Cent-Vingt-Cinq-Mille Montagnes. Étude Archéologique du Bassin de la Karnali (Népal) entre le XIIe et le XVIe siècle. Sciences de l'Homme et Société. Université Paris 4 Paris-Sorbonne, 2019. Français. ⟨NNT : ⟩. ⟨tel-02527852⟩

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