Of Nepal’s rich cultural heritage, seven complexes have been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan.
In these seven sites of Hindu and Buddhist denomination, as well as many others, an abundant amount of metalwork can be observed: successive doors leading into shrines, walls surrounding them, pillars, tympana, and roofing are covered with cladding of gilded copper (and sometimes silver), often embellished with repoussé decoration, as well as carrying additional, applied three-dimensional imagery. Metal icons of deities form the center of devotional activities in interior sanctuaries.
Over centuries, this type of metalwork has been created and maintained by Newari craftsmen in Nepal, who also supplied their craft throughout the Himalayan region, and still do so today.
By its very nature, the metal experiences a complex set of issues pertaining to its long-term preservation, including being handled as part of devotional activities, exposure to the elements and various animals, and most recently and perhaps most dramatic and destructive for a larger number of items – the damage caused by the 2015 earthquake.
During a trip to Nepal in 2014 I became briefly acquainted with and mesmerized by the amount of magnificent and sophisticated metalwork in shrines and temples. I began to wonder how and by whom are metal claddings and images of deities treated, repaired, restored or replaced as the begin to show signs of age and damage? Have techniques used in the process changed? Are mechanisms being developed for future needs, such a special training? Who are the stakeholders in discussion of what needs to be preserved or replaced? Is there an active role for conservation professionals in the process and if so, how are they received by the community?
Preservation of metalwork in Nepal 