Title
Votive box
Year/Period
19th century
Region
Tibet
Material
Dimension
Object size: H3.6 * D10.5(with strap H42.5 * W10.5 * D3)
Accession No.
2000-01523
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mr.Hwang Soo Jin
In Tibet, portable votive boxes of this type are known as ga'u. They are containers, made in repoussé style, with a window in the front in which a religious image is kept. The objects inside can include a small statue of Buddha, holy texts, consecrated substances, medicines, auspicious images and other sacred material. The front of the box typically would have an ornate design such as the 'Eight Auspicious Symbols' of Buddhism and other motifs. Votive boxes of this type are placed in altars at home but mostly they are used as a talisman for protection when travelling.
