ewer BM-1990-0313.1

Period:Ming dynasty Production date:16thC
Materials:copper
Technique:cloisonné (enamelling)
Subjects:eight treasures of buddhism
Dimensions:Height: 7.20 centimetres

Description:
Water vessel with lid. Shaped like a squat basin with handle and spout at right angles to each other, lid in the shape of a bowl. Decorated with the eight Buddhist symbols, yin-yang symbol on the base and the lid. Made of cloisonne on copper.
IMG


Comments:The lid of this Tibetan-style vessel serves as adish for balls of tsampa (roasted barley flour)that are purified by pouring consecrated waterover them. Tsampa are ritual offerings to therecently deceased who may return searching fora meal before their destined rebirth. Tsampa arealso offered to ‘hungry ghosts’ who are only ableto consume consecrated food. One of the sixrealms of rebirth, a person reborn as a ‘hungryghost’ suffers from extreme hunger and thirst.Their search for food would be frustrated were itnot for the compassion rendered in the form ofofferings of consecrated food by monasteries.