Sophia Van Zyle Warshall
Sophia studies premodern Indonesian history. Her dissertation titled “Imprints and Impressions: an ecocritical study of Javanese stūpika, 9th – 11tt centuries” examines miniature Buddhist reliquaries (stūpikas) from c. 9-11th century Java as a means to add granularity to our understanding of the movement of people and ideas through the maritime trade routes of Southeast Asia.
Dissertation’s information.
Imprints and Impressions: a study of Javanese stūpika
Sophia Warshall’s dissertation examines premodern miniature Buddhist
reliquaries—stūpika—found in Java, Indonesia to contribute granularity to our understanding of
9 th -11 th century Javanese life. Specifically, her project speaks to local means of metal and clay
production, architecture, religious practice, iconography and gender roles. Methodologically,
Sophia’s project explores the productivity of leveraging an ecocritical lens to gain clarity on
obscured histories.