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Source Description
Hand-held bells such as this one are among the most commonly used implements of Tibetan Buddhist ritual. The bell symbolizes wisdom, the feminine component of enlightenment, and is often used together with the "vajra," which symbolizes compassionate action and intention, the masculine component of enlightenment. Small images of vajras adorn the rim and upper face of this bell; other imagery includes auspicious symbols, protective animal-like faces, and garlands. The handle (in the form of a half-vajra), is well worn, attesting to the bell’s past use.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
2869
label
Ritual Bell
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
2869
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Ritual Bell
description
Hand-held bells such as this one are among the most commonly used implements of Tibetan Buddhist ritual. The bell symbolizes wisdom, the feminine component of enlightenment, and is often used together with the "vajra," which symbolizes compassionate action and intention, the masculine component of enlightenment. Small images of vajras adorn the rim and upper face of this bell; other imagery includes auspicious symbols, protective animal-like faces, and garlands. The handle (in the form of a half-vajra), is well worn, attesting to the bell’s past use.
provenance
Acquired by C. P. Ching, Hong Kong; purchased by John and Berthe Ford, Baltimore, October 31 1976; given to Walters Art Museum, 2016.
date
17th-18th century
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
bells
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
17.5
height
9.5
dimensionsRaw
H excluding clapper and tassel: 6 7/8 × Diam: 3 3/4 in. (17.5 × 9.5 cm)
Source extras
med
copper alloy, iron, leather, silk, and glass
creator_ids
6868
collection_ids
INT
exhibition_ids
none
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
7dc6d57b9207f150