Bell

This elaborately designed bronze Buddhist ritual object consists of a 'vajra' (thunderbolt) and 'ghanta' (bell). The vajra symbolises knowledge while the ghanta stands for wisdom. It has four 'hands' in relief on the sides besides four figure heads, and four, what looks like horns with a central spike at the top. It would seem this piece is a copy of a much earlier Buddhist ritual object design, which G.B. Gardner, an early Southeast Asian explorer, collector and donor to Raffles Museum, mistook as being authentic. According to Gardner, this bronze bell was dug up near Tampin in the state of Malacca.

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Bell

Buddhist bell

Bells

Bells