Plaque from a Tantric dancer's bone apron
- DATE:
- 16th century
- MATERIAL AND TECHNIQUE:
- Human bone
- CLASSIFICATION:
- Coins, Medallions and Plaques
- DIMENSIONS:
- 6 1/4 × 1 5/8 × 1 in. (15.88 × 4.13 × 2.54 cm)
- DEPARTMENT:
- Arts of Asia
- LOCATION:
- 305 BUDDHIST GALLERY
- CREDIT LINE:
- Dallas Museum of Art, gift of David T. Owsley
- COPYRIGHT:
- Image courtesy Dallas Museum of Art
- OBJECT NUMBER:
- 2017.35.7
General Description
This small ivory piece was originally one of many plaques attached to the ceremonial regalia of a Himalayan monastic dancer. These plaques were decorated with the deities of Tantric Buddhism, like Mahakala, a wrathful deity. The monks performed sacred dances in which they communicated with the world of gods and spirits in a state of shamanic trance.
Excerpt from
- Anne Bromberg, Label text.
Web Resources
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
View a full Himalayan ritual bone apron.