Antique Reliquary Burmese Bronze Stupa

Description

Burmese bronze reliquary stupa which opens by a simple turn locking jig. The stupa in Sanskrit means heap or mound. The stupa’s hemispherical structure containing remains of Buddhist monks or nuns is called “sarira”. The reliquary is also used in place of meditation. The shape of the stupa represents Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire, his head is the square, at the spire’s base, his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace and the base is his throne. Although not described in any Tibetan text on stupa symbolism, the stupa may represent the five purified elements. The square base repress earth, the hemispherical dome/vase represents water, the conical spire represents fire. The upper lotus parasol and crescent moon represents air. The sun and dissolving point represents the element of space.

19th century

Dimensions: 3 3/4″ w x 6 3/4″ h