BY.T-66 (previous number) and T-66 (original number)
Description:
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
Collection place:
Tibet
Verbatim coll. place:
Tibet
Collector:
Theos C. Bernard
Materials:
Bronze (metal), Coral (material), Iron (metal), Leather, Metal, and Turquoise (mineral)
Object type:
ethnography
Function:
5.0 Use not specified (Ritual, Pageantry, and Recreation)