Minneapolis Institute of Art

Group of 17 Tibetan bone apron ornaments

Tibet; or Nepal

Date

16th–19th century

Medium

Bone (likely buffalo)

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This assortment of bone ornaments would have served as plaques within an elaborate Ritual Apron (Rugya), with the diamond-shaped plaques--delicately carved with auspicious symbols, and abstracted floral motifs—which would have joined together a network of double-stranded beads, held by a belt, with the oblong-plaques, carved with kirttimukha (face of glory) motifs, suspended at the bottom. They would have been part of an elaborate ‘dancing’ ensemble of bone ornaments, including crowns, armlets, anklets, and neck ornaments worn by elite practitioners of Vajrayana (or Tantric) Buddhism in Tibet at important ceremonies, to ward of evil spirits while serving as a reminder of the transience of life. Nepal, Tibet, Asia

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