Buddhist Reliquary

Unknown artist

6th–7th century

Wood and cloth with pigment

Tokyo National Museum

A cylindrical wooden reliquary with a conical lid is covered in intricate painted decorations. The lid is topped with a small knob. A cylindrical wooden reliquary with a conical lid is covered in intricate painted decorations. The lid is topped with a small knob. Sarira is an ancient Indian term that means “deceased body” or “bones,” but in the case of Buddhism, this term refers to the bones of the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. This object was made as a container to store these sacred bones. The container was formed on a potter’s wheel, with the middle hollowed and the shape further refined before hemp fabric was applied to the outside and painted. Portrayed on the cover of the container are winged figures playing musical instruments, as well as birds that re