Circular box
ca. 1801-1900
Although gold was prized more than silver in Nepal and Tibet, the sheer size of this box and its lavish use of pearls and lapis lazuli make it a luxurious item. The finely worked silver around the lid’s jeweled center includes a wide inner band depicting a range of auspicious creatures. The outer band mimics a garland of skulls (kapalamala) worn by certain deities and used as a rosary in Tantric Buddhism.
Silver, gold, red velvet, garnets, turquoise, pearls, glass, rock crystal, and semiprecious stones
8 1/2 in. (21.59 cm)
Diam.: 2 7/8 in.
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
65.100