A GOLD-DAMASCENED IRON GAU WITH HUMAN BONE FRAGMENT


EASTERN TIBET, 14TH/15TH CENTURYHimalayan Art Resources item no.61699 Gau: 13 cm (5 in.) diameter;Bone: 10 cm (4 in.) long
|藏東 十四/十五世紀 鐵鋄金嘎烏盒配靈骨In Tibet, the physical remains of spiritually accomplished people are believed to reverberate with sacred energy that benefits those it comes into contact with. The enigmatic pattern on this bone fragment might also represent a form of divination.Potent objects require special cases, typically with auspicious symbols of an ethereal nature. The large iron gau is finely damascened with a gold dragon encircled by a band of water and alternating floral patterns. The design is achieved by gently hammering thin strips of gold sheet into roughened iron. The town of Derge in Eastern Tibet, famous for this damascening technique, is likely where this early gau was created. For another example of the shape, see Art Sacré du Tibet: Collection Alain Bordier, Paris, 2013, p.229, no.124. Provenance Mehmet Hassan Asian Art, London, 1980s