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Start Over Collection place Tibet Materials Coral (material)
Hearst Museum object titled Ceremonial canteen, accession number 9-21899, described as Ceremonial canteen, worn at the belt of a Buddhist monk, suspended typically from a Ritual Scepter (see 9-21866) or a pen case (9-21929).The square of silk forms a sleeve for the hands, the canteen itself is a very small copper bottle, containing perhaps 2 oz. It has a wooden stopper and an elegant silver throat and cap. Cotton cord safeguards the cap and suspends the body of the canteen. At the other end of the cord is a heavy white ball, probably of coral or shell. See: T-128 pict.
Hearst Museum object titled Ceremonial teacup, accession number 9-21948a-c, described as This is a ceremonial tea cup with a silver holder and lid, topped with a coral bead. It is used by aristocrats for tea parties. It is one of a set of two--See T-136. The cup may be of jade, or may be of some other natural substance.
Hearst Museum object titled Ceremonial teacup, accession number 9-21949a-c, described as This is a ceremonial tea cup with a silver holder and lid, topped with a coral bead. It is used by aristocrats for tea parties. It is one of a set of two--See T-135.The cup may be of jade, or may be of some other natural substance.
Hearst Museum object titled Flint and striker set, accession number 9-22031, described as This is a flint and striker set ornamented with turquoise, coral, and a bead of unknown material. The pouch contains flint stones. The iron striker bar is attached to the pouch, which hangs from a cotton cord.
Hearst Museum object titled Flint & striker set with purse, accession number 9-21901a-c, described as This set consists of a flint and striker joined with to a purse by means of a leather thong. The flint and striker (3 1/2 X 5 X 1/2 inches) consists of a leather pouch for flint stones with a curved iron striker attached. The purse is 8 inches high with fob and tassel, 2 3/4 inches alone. It is 4 1/2 inches wide and 1 1/4 inches deep. It has turquoise and coral insets and brass decorations.
Hearst Museum object titled Ghanta, accession number 9-21923, described as This is a beautiful old ghanta bell with a handle of gilded bronze, and turquoise and coral insets. The bell is made of a five metal alloy to produce a rich, full sound. There are only three vajra points at the top, as two are missing.The striker shows the unique pattern of wear associated with generations of constant use.The ghanta bell is used in most Tantric rituals. It is held in the left hand and the matched vajra is held in the right. The matching vajra to this ghanta is not present in the collection. It would match upper part of the ghanta handle. The ghanta embodies the feminine principle in Tantric usage, and the vajra is the masculine. The ghanta holds the principle of ultimate wisdom and the vajra, the principle of ultimate compassion and skillful means.Ghanta bells in this collection are numbers: T-23; T-63; T-66; T-67; & T-85
Hearst Museum object titled Jewelry, accession number 9-21870, described as Set of jewelry, arranged in a pattern on a string and suspended by one hook. It is worn by affluent Tibetan women on special occasions.
Hearst Museum object titled Ornament, accession number 9-21874, described as String of precious stones and pearls with clasps at each end, apparently part of a neckless or other ornament worn by an affluent Tibetan. The string includes five pearls, two pearl-like stones one pearl shaped glass bead, four large coral beads and four zi stones.
Hearst Museum object titled Prayer beads, accession number 9-21868, described as Prayer beads (mala), used in Tantric meditations to organize and keep track of mantras and recitations.There are one hundred and eleven beads, the standard number for a Buddhist mala. In addition there are six red coral beads. These are used as head beads and for spacer beads, often placed after the twenty first bead from the head bead on each side.
Hearst Museum object titled Prayer wheel, accession number 9-21910a-d, described as This is a hand held prayer wheel. A coil of mantras, often hundreds of thousands of mantras, printed from wood blocks on long scrolls, is placed within the cylinder. The meditator spins the wheel, using the lead weight on the end of the chain to accelerate and sustain the spinning. Like other Buddhist ritual devices, the prayer wheel is a support (rten) for meditation. With each revolution of the wheel, the meditator visualizes the mantras going forth to benefit others. Each of hundreds of thousands of mantras becomes the deity of that mantra and goes forth to encompass the welfare and happiness for limitless living beings. The most common mantra in Tibetan prayer wheels is the six syllable mantra of Avalokiteshvara: "Om Mani Padme Hum." This prayer wheel is empty. A new mantra scroll can easily be placed inside.This is a rather crude prayer wheel, lacking the embossed letters of the mantra on the exterior and having little in the way of ornamentation except the coral and turquoise insets in the top. The top, however, is not original and does not match the rest of the object. It does function properly to keep the spinning wheel it place . It may have been fitted to this prayer wheel subsequent to its exiting Tibet. See prayer wheel worn on the belt of a nobelman: Photo T-92. See similar object: T-113

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