A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.
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A photo with the spire removed.
The iconography on this piece is very interesting, and reflects the merging of Buddhist and Hindu imagery. If one views the bowl in plan, it is shaped like a mandala. This bowl looks like a specific type of mandala called the Sri Charka. The spire is comprised of nested lotus flowers. The base of the flower has 8 petals (representing the 8 paths to enlightenment in Buddhism, but also in Hinduism). The dome of the bowl cover resembles a stupa, which is a representation of the heavens. On this bowl cover, the handles are carved with cloud motifs to emphasize the heavenly reference.
Here is the view from the top.
Oh, and I almost forgot...there are 5 sets of lotus leaves on the spire, probably representing the 5 peaks of Meru, a mystical mountain range!
Hi Edith, thanks for the explanation. It's amazing how much we miss and how little we understand about these objects when we simply see them as interesting objects.
Glad you also found it interesting. This is not the typical offering bowl, which is why I am curious if anyone else has seen one like this. However, I came to the conclusion that the bowl is designed to make offerings based upon all the religious symbolism incorporated into the piece. One can see the same symbolism in the architecture of the temples. Here are some photos of more typical offering bowls.
This just goes to show that you can't trust what a seller tells you because often THEY do not know what they are selling you. I am not complaining because I really like this piece. But here you are, an image of another Hsun-ok.....
Another example...